Malaysia

Swift population expansion in Malaysia in 2021-2040 will be mainly driven by natural increase, though positive net migration after 2022 will also contribute. Ageing will be a key theme, affecting consumer trends and putting further pressure on the…

Kuching and Kuala Lumpur stand out as Malaysia’s most economically vibrant cities, with George Town showing the highest potential for future growth. The country’s cities are set to remain youthful, diverse and digitally connected, driving rapid…

Retail value sales of luxury goods in Malaysia are set to rise by 15% in 2023 in current terms to amount to MYR31.0 billion. A combination of a renewed desire for indulgence, pent-up demand, and the resumption of key activities, including travelling,…

As with the other travel categories, lodging’s recovery has also been boosted by the re-opening of international borders and a significant increase in tourism flows in 2023. Before this, lodging was mainly relying on domestic travellers which led to…

The Israel-Hamas War had an impact on limited-service restaurants in Malaysia from October 2023. In the majority Muslim country of Malaysia, the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War led to a series of boycotting events aimed at multinational chains such…

Laundry care maintained retail volume and current value growth in 2023. Although other types of laundry detergents saw stronger increases in this year, powder detergents continued to account for the highest sales. Powder is a popular format of…

Large cooking appliances in Malaysia, after experiencing a decline during the pandemic due to economic contractions and increased home seclusion, began to show signs of recovery in 2021. Although the pandemic led to reduced disposable incomes and a…

The Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital…

Off-trade volume sales are lower than those in on-trade channels in juice, albeit still remaining positive. Consumers with large families (at least four persons per household) tend to prefer liquid concentrates over juice, seeing such as offering…

The Johor Bahru in Malaysia report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital…

Both costume jewellery and fine jewellery registered weaker growth in 2023 both in retail volume and current value terms. Demand was impacted by the rising inflationary pressures being faced by Malaysians with most households seeing a significant…

Sales of jeans continued to see healthy growth in current value terms in 2023. Premium jeans remained the largest subcategory in terms of value, having continued to benefit from the presence of many established brands, including the iconic Levi’s…

Malaysia is projected to experience robust income growth, with the country expected to achieve high-income status between 2024 and 2028, according to World Bank estimates. In 2027, individuals aged 30-34 are forecast to maintain the highest per…

Retail sales of in-car entertainment saw an accelerated decline in both volume and constant value terms in 2023, in spite of rising levels of new car ownership. In the case of the latter, tax incentives were a key contributor to this trend, as…

Retail sales of imaging devices continued their to fall in constant value terms during 2023. Such products are being cannibalised by smartphones, which are increasingly ubiquitous in Malaysia. While the quality of a smartphone camera is typically…

Ice cream volume sales in foodservice are outpacing those within retail in Malaysia in 2023, with the latter in decline, indicating a significant change in consumer behaviour. With the pandemic lockdown lifted in 2022, consumers resumed dining out in…

Hypermarkets was one of the retail channels hit hardest by the pandemic as demand for large-format modern grocery retailers plummeted. Quarantine lockdowns and restrictions on movement, combined with widespread fears of contagion, discouraged…

The number of households is set to increase moderately in Malaysia over 2022-2027, with couples with children remaining the dominant household type. In 2022, household spending was affected by inflation, which stood at 3.4%, elevating living costs.…

In 2023, Starbucks launched its instant coffee mixes, such as the Starbucks VIA Spring Blend, featuring small portions packaged in flexible paper pouches and flexible paper sachets of 12 sticks in a multipack. This move towards smaller portions and…

Global price hikes for raw materials like sugar and cocoa drove up unit selling prices in hot drinks in Malaysia in 2023, especially within coffee and other hot drinks. The hoarding and shortage of cocoa in west Africa force leading players like…

Demand for hosiery improved significantly in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. The return of consumers to their physical offices boosted demand for sheer hosiery, as did an increase in the number of social outings, as tights tend to be…

Homewares in Malaysia saw steady growth in current value terms in 2023. Sales were boosted by the increasing emphasis on aesthetic appeal as consumers looked for stylish and modern cookware, ovenware, and other homewares to enhance the visual appeal…

Retail constant value sales (2023 prices) of home video products, which consist primarily of televisions, continued to decline in 2023. Growth was restricted by inflationary pressures, which caused some consumers to postpone large, discretionary…

Mr DIY continued to expand aggressively in Malaysia in 2023, cementing its lead in a highly fragmented competitive landscape. The success of Mr DIY mainly lies in its ability to provide a large variety of good-value products under one roof, thereby…

Post-pandemic the demand for home laundry appliances has been declining in Malaysia, following a pandemic-era trend of increased investment in such products amid a notable shift towards enhancing home comfort. With travel and holiday plans curtailed,…

As of August 2023, dengue cases were up 117% year-on-year, bringing the total cases to 73,680 from January to August 2023, compared with 39,769 cases in the same period in 2022. By September 2023, cases had risen to 88,672, with a massive surge in…

Home improvement was the most dynamic category in home and garden in current value terms in 2023. This was owing to the growth and development of the country’s DIY culture, spurred on by an abundance of online tutorials across platforms such as…

Home furnishings registered steady growth in current value terms in 2023, with barbeques, home office furniture, and light-emitting diode lamps (LED) being among the most dynamic categories. Building on the work-from-home trend that developed during…

Prior to the pandemic, volume sales of home care products in Malaysia had been growing due to rapid urbanisation and an increased awareness of the need to maintain a hygienic living environment. The pandemic accelerated growth in the category in 2020…

Food price inflation remained elevated in 2023, as the country is a net food importer, and huge increases in the prices of imported white rice came into effect in September 2023. Although it is still unknown how overall consumer spending will be…

Retail sales of home audio and cinema continued to decline in both volume and current value terms in 2023. The category is dominated by hi-fi systems and home cinema and speaker systems, demand for which is being undermined by the growing popularity…

Sales of home and garden products remained strong in Malaysia in current value terms in 2023. However, this was primarily due to inflation, which led to higher prices, boosting overall value sales. A surge in home renovation projects, fuelled by…

Herbal and traditional products have a long-standing tradition within consumer health in Malaysia. Such products are often sold in kiosks, as well as herbal/traditional healthcare stores, and as such, are easy to obtain. For example, Tongkat Ali, one…

Guardian continued to lead health and beauty specialists overall in 2023, as well as health and personal care stores, with Watsons as its closest competitor at number two in both cases. These players are key contributors to the segment’s growth in…

Headphones saw positive growth in constant value terms in 2023, despite consumer concerns about the cost of living. Increased smartphone use for streaming audio and video content was a key driver of this trend, in addition to the ongoing prevalence…

The Malaysian hair care market continued to benefit from the post-pandemic return to previous patterns and habits in 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns and home seclusion promoted a change in the hair care routines of many…

As volume sales continue to decline dramatically across both chewing gum and bubble gum, the growth of chewing gum in Malaysia has slowed down slightly in current value terms in 2023 when compared to the previous year. A key contributing factor to…

This report analyses global production, consumption and prices of aluminium. While leading aluminium production giant, China, is struggling with looming energy crisis and disruptions in supply of raw materials, global production of aluminium is set…

The George Town in Malaysia report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital…

In line with global trends, department stores in Malaysia are losing appeal due to growing interest in fast-fashion retailers such as H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, and Padini which offer the latest fashions at relatively affordable prices. Small boutique stores…

Gardening in Malaysia saw steady growth in current value terms in 2023, primarily driven by urbanisation, the developing DIY culture, and evolving consumer preferences. For instance, rapid urbanisation led to a rise in apartment living with limited…

The full-service restaurants category is seeing growing consumer interest in Korean-influenced restaurants. The Muslim-dominated community in Malaysia is favouring Korean dining concepts, with food options such as Korean fried chicken, gaining…

Fragrances in Malaysia saw rapid and robust volume and current value growth in 2023. During the pandemic years many players within premium fragrances focused on their existing product lines, with the lack of demand discouraging investment in new…

Asia Pacific, with a value of USD916 billion, is the largest forestry, wood and paper goods producer in the world. Forecasts for the region’s industry remain positive for 2021-2030, due to developing economies and rising population. However, the…

Footwear registered a second year of double-digit growth in 2023, with sales exceeding pre-pandemic levels in current value terms. Sales of both men’s and women’s footwear were boosted by the return of consumers to their physical offices, at least on…

Asia Pacific remained the largest global producer of food, beverages and tobacco in 2021, with sales valued at USD3,809 billion. With the release of pent-up demand, the industry’s turnover witnessed an increase in 2021. Going forward, expanding…

The market for food preparation appliances in Malaysia saw a slight dip in terms of overall volume sales in 2023, following positive trends established in previous years. The fall was curbed by a sustained interest in cooking at home, particularly…

Value sales of fine wines/Champagne and spirits are set to grow by 9% to total MYR292 million in 2023. Socialising over a drink with friends remains a priority pastime for many and this has boosted sales in 2023, following the limits placed on…

Financial cards and payments in Malaysia in 2023 exhibited significant continuation with 2022 in terms of the direction of travel in the post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) period. The strong moves towards a cashless society in Malaysia, pushed by the…

Eyewear in Malaysia in 2024 is seeing continued growth overall in both volume and current value terms. Sales are supported by the fuller resurgence of international travel and return to active outdoor lifestyles. Retailers are leveraging this trend…