Malaysia

In 2023, the Malaysian consumer foodservice market saw the continued strengthening of the country’s coffee drinking culture, which provided a notable boost to the performance of the specialist coffee and tea shops channel during the year. The end of…

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Malaysian consumers have been increasingly focused on preventative health measures, and this trend continued into 2023. Alongside the adoption of healthier diets and exercise behaviours, consumers sought out vitamins…

Towards the end of the review period, many local consumers took out personal loans to cope with higher financial burdens. Malaysian banks have offered personal loans with more flexible repayment plans and more appealing terms when required. The…

Consumer Lifestyles offers valuable insights into key consumer attitudes and current thinking, and their impact on purchasing and consumption habits; quantifying behaviours, preferences and motivations, and aligning them with broader trends.

Consumer Types can be a powerful tool to help companies better understand and appeal to their target markets. By going beyond typical demographic-based segmentation, such as age or gender, and grouping consumers based on shared traits and…

This report visually explores everyday habits and behaviours which reflect consumers' beliefs and values, linking behavioural trends with purchase and consumption habits. 

Contact lenses in Malaysia is seeing a continued consumer shift from frequent replacement lenses to daily disposable lenses in 2024. This is being driven by changing lifestyles and evolving demand. In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, local…

Social distancing measures remained in effect in Malaysia in 2021, with consumers forced to avoid spending time outside of the home wherever possible, and huge numbers of white-collar professionals, office workers and service industry personnel were…

Consumers continued to dine out more often in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis in 2023 as the return to busy lifestyles left them with limited time to cook from scratch at home and drove down in-home consumption. However, consumers continued to…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies witnessed an improved performance in constant value terms in 2023. This was due, in a large part, to a return of pre-pandemic lifestyles, including the reopening of schools and workspaces, which…

The resumption of daily routines as the country emerges out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has sparked spending on both personal and commercial credit cards. In 2023, the number of commercial credit cards in circulation is rebounding, following…

The report will explore the key themes transforming consumer behaviour in Asia Pacific in the world beyond the pandemic, namely Digital Living, Rethink Wellness, Sustainable Living, Make My Life Easier and Search for Experiences, and the strategies…

The Malaysian dairy industry is seeing a significant shift towards HDPE bottles for the packaging of fresh milk and flavoured milk drinks. While HDPE offers less transparency than PET, its superior tactile properties, particularly its…

Baby food continues to be adversely affected by falling birth rates, economic difficulties, breastfeeding and home-cooked alternatives and variances in distribution. Dried and prepared baby food can be easily replaced by home-cooked food, while…

Wider acceptance is boosting the use of personal debit cards in Malaysia. The rising popularity of personal debit cards underpins the growth in the number of cards and volume and value transactions. The increased numbers of POS terminals is widening…

Deodorant sprays posted the most dynamic growth within deodorants in Malaysia in 2023, rising fastest in both volume and current value terms as the format gained greater appeal among local consumers. Many brands of deodorant sprays have been…

Depilatories remained a highly consolidated category in Malaysia in 2023. Reckitt Benckiser continued to dominate hair removers/bleaches with its brand Veet, with the brand still gaining value share, while Procter & Gamble maintained its dominant…

Dermatologicals saw an overall increase in demand in 2023, although performance varied somewhat by subcategory Nappy (diaper) rash treatments, for example, benefited from the return of consumers to more active lifestyles outside the home, which meant…

With COVID-19 still a relatively recent memory, Malaysians continued to place a strong emphasis on preventative health measures, including the intake of dietary supplements. Consumers saw these products as an effective way of boosting their immune…

Antacids continued as the key driver of growth within digestive remedies in 2023. With Malaysians returning to their stressful, on-the-go lifestyles, they were less likely to eat healthy meals and were hence more prone to digestive complaints, such…

Direct selling in Malaysia showed resilience during the pandemic, particularly in the case of companies specialising in health and wellness products. Seeking ways to stay healthy, local consumers increasingly turned to health supplements and…

The leading chained players in discounters have been eyeing potential expansion opportunities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the improved situation has made it easier for them to justify greater investment in outlet growth. Players have…

Demand for dishwashers in Malaysia has been heavily influenced by the reduced presence of expatriates, who traditionally constituted a significant customer segment for this appliance. The adoption of remote working policies by businesses, both local…

The full lifting of COVID-19 restrictions was seen in 2022, which led to the reopening of the economy and international borders. Many consumers returned to socialising, the office and school, as they were no longer confined to the home. They were…

In 2024, dog food in Malaysia is set to maintain the same trend seen in 2022 and 2023, with slow retail volume growth, and stronger current value growth. One of the factors driving growth in the last few years has been consistent low growth in the…

Further retail volume and current value growth is expected across drinking milk products in 2023. The constant strong upward trajectory in the demand for drinking milk products through the review period, including the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis of…

In 2023, Malaysia’s GDP growth slowed to 4.0%, amid a challenging global economic environment, geopolitical conflicts, and tight monetary policies. However, Malaysia’s GDP per capita remained above the Asia Pacific average over the year. The…

Olive oil saw retail volume sales decline in 2023 at the same time as witnessing current value growth as unit prices continued to rise significantly. Most of the brands operating in the category, including Bertolli, Colavita, Naturel, and Filippo…

Sales in energy drinks are only seeing modest off-trade growth, as the category has a fairly limited consumer audience and faces competition from other soft drinks. On the positive side, the revival of domestic and international travel helps to…

The briefing introduces the 2022 Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Index which has been produced for 37 countries globally. The index seeks to assess the readiness of each country across four key pillars: Market Maturity, Income and Spending,…

Despite macroeconomic adversity on a global scale, tourist demand in 2023 was on the rise, with a growing number of visitors taking their holidays in Malaysia. Consumer demand has also been shifting from manufactured goods back towards services now…

Eye care continued to see robust growth in retail volume terms in 2023, with standard eye care leading the way. Malaysians typically spend long periods of time on digital devices, a practice which is linked to a range of vision issues, including…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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, 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…