Netherlands

2023 saw private label players in laundry care strive to emphasise their strides forward in terms of sustainability, particularly in relation to product ingredients and the possibility of cool washes. A growing number of Dutch consumers were…

Home care in the Netherlands rose in value terms but declined in volume terms in 2023. Inflationary pressures and reduced disposable incomes led Dutch consumers to strive to save money on their weekly shopping, with home care products offering…

Dutch consumers are increasingly aware of the harmful effects of chemicals on their health and look to refrain from buying air care products that might potentially emit harmful chemicals, opting for more natural solutions instead. As a consequence,…

In the Netherlands in 2024, all members of sugar confectionery are suffering retail volume sales decline while at the same time seeing current value sales rise as a result of unit price hikes. The exception is power mints, which is only showing…

In 2023, hair care in the Netherlands recorded a strong increase in retail current value sales, inflated by high inflationary pressure on prices, as retail volume sales decreased slightly overall. However, the retail volume performance was mixed,…

In 2023, retail value sales of retail tissue in the Netherlands experienced solid growth. However, declining disposable incomes are leading some consumers to decrease their usage of toilet paper. Adjustments in their purchasing behaviour have…

Convenience stores in city centre locations saw steady growth in current value terms in 2023 with this being driven by various factors. First, with the pandemic over consumers spent less time working from home than during the height of the health…

The Netherlands saw mixed weather during the spring and summer seasons of 2023, though the country did enjoy several weeks of sunny weather with high temperatures, supporting higher demand (with a slight slowdown in the decline in volume sales) for…

Personal accessories is anticipated to experience subdued growth in 2023, influenced by factors such as inflation, increased energy costs, and higher taxes, leading to a dampened demand. This slower recovery follows a previous year of rapid growth.…

The macroeconomic situation in the Netherlands was marked by a slowdown in growth, with GDP contracting over the first three quarters of 2023 which was met with declining consumer confidence. High inflation also had a substantial impact on disposable…

Consumers are increasingly shopping online for their groceries with the return to busy lives away from the home leaving less time for grocery shopping. Growth was seen from both pure players and traditional store-based grocery retailers which have…

Anticipated sales in 2023 will reflect a more tempered growth in premium and super-premium jeans as consumers adopt a cautious spending approach. While economy-level jeans are projected to show positive growth, standard jeans remain the most…

Traditional toys and games in the Netherlands registered only modest growth in current value terms in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. Consumers felt the pinch of inflation and as such, were more cautious with their spending. While…

Bath and shower in the Netherlands witnessed a slight decline in retail current value sales in 2023, and a strong decrease in retail volume terms. The 2023 development of the category was a tale of two main trends. On the one hand, there was strong…

Tissue and hygiene struggled to grow in volume terms in 2023, with many threats on the horizon. This included high price increases, dampening demand, as well as threats from non-disposable categories in menstrual care and hygiene but increasingly in…

Dishwashers recorded a decline in retail volume sales in 2023, partly driven down by the sluggish housing market. As interest rates increased in 2023, consumers were reluctant to purchase homes or move from one home to another. As borrowing also…

Sales of women’s apparel are expected to maintain a stable, positive growth trajectory in 2023. Although growth may slightly lag behind the previous year, factors such as inflation, price increases, favourable weather, and a return to workplaces are…

Headphones is set to record slight growth in volume sales in 2023, with the category no longer seeing the high level of volume growth experienced during the period of the COVID-19 crisis. With the pandemic over and consumers having already invested…

Sales of contact lenses and solutions remain driven by daily disposable lenses in the Netherlands, continuing the trend evidenced during the latter part of the review period. Manufacturers are committed to increasing the penetration of daily…

The market for toys and games in the Netherlands saw continued growth in current value terms in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than the previous year. This was driven primarily by video games, both hardware and software. Video gamers are, in general,…

As in many industries, most categories of beauty and personal care in the Netherlands saw a strong increase in retail current value sales in 2023. However, this growth mainly came from high inflationary pressure on prices, with retail volume sales…

Home products specialists are focusing more on sustainability. This is a reaction to consumers becoming increasingly demanding and wanting to reduce their carbon footprint. Consumers are becoming more aware of the wider impact of their purchasing…

Street stalls/kiosks in the Netherlands was hit hard by the pandemic as footfall in high-traffic areas dried up almost entirely since consumers could not go to school, the office or shops on the high street. The result was a dramatic decline in…

Consumer foodservice by location witnessed a lot of turmoil while the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. During 2020, standalone foodservice outlets fared better than retail, travel, leisure, and lodging segments. This was mainly because all…

Sales of hosiery are anticipated to surge, particularly in non-sheer varieties, as Dutch consumers increasingly invest in both luxurious and eco-conscious products. While there's a continued interest in premium items, shoppers are also seeking…

In 2023, the number of leisure outbound trips is projected to exceed the 2019 pre-Coronavirus (COVID-19) level. Fuelled by still high pent-up demand, there have been high numbers of bookings for May and summer holidays, with land, rail and air travel…

The Dutch government increased the flight tax from EUR7.95 to EUR26.43 per passenger per outbound flight, starting on 1 January 2023. New climate and environmental regulations from the European Commission and the Dutch government will increase the…

In total unit volume terms, the Dutch soft drinks packaging market recorded positive growth in 2023, after stagnating a year earlier. While the main pack type, PET bottles, recorded positive growth in 2023, it continued to lose share to metal…

Value sales of RX/reimbursement adult incontinence products registered moderate growth in 2023. For many people who are embarrassed about incontinence issues, there is a preference to buy incontinence products online, despite insurance reimbursement…

Limited-service restaurants performed relatively well in 2023, with robust rises in current value sales growth driven by high inflation, and positive growth in volume transactions.

Despite a projected decline in luxury product demand in the Netherlands, mechanical watches continue to garner enthusiasm and promotional efforts. Mainstream manufacturers' consistent introduction of new models forecasts steady growth for mechanical…

Overall retail volume sales of tea in the Netherlands have continued to contract in 2023 due to a combination of rising prices, weakened purchasing power, increasing maturity and the fact that consumers are now spending less time at home with the…

Concentrates have long been considered a more economical alternative to other types of soft drinks by Dutch consumers. However, the traditional advantage they enjoy in this regard has recently been eroded by steep price hikes amidst high inflation…

In the Netherlands, the demand for casualwear is driven not only by the pursuit of comfort but also by the influence of street and urban culture trends. Younger Dutch consumers are embracing streetwear styles in both clothing and footwear, prompting…

While most categories of analgesics are set to witness decreases in retail volume sales over 2023, this is largely due to spikes in sales in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as stress and anxiety levels increased. In 2023, many…

Current value sales of leisure packages are projected to see dynamic growth in 2023, following an exponential increment over 2022. As a result, leisure packages current value sales are expected to return very close to the 2019 pre-Coronavirus…

Following the boost to volume sales in the retail channel in 2020 when the pandemic first arrived in the Netherlands and the increased time being spent at home by Dutch consumers, hot drinks sales have since been in decline, including in 2023. As a…

Small local grocers are increasingly trying to find ways to compete with supermarkets and other modern grocery retailers in what has been a tough economic environment. Small local grocers often struggle to achieve economies of scale with even many of…

Retailers are increasingly focusing on an omnichannel strategy in order to allow the consumer to shop in the way that they see fit and which is most convenient to them and which can maximise the retailer’s reach and sales potential. This in turn is…

Action continued to record growth in current value terms in 2023, albeit at a slower pace than in 2022. Action is a chain of discounter variety stores which has benefited from the challenging economic environment with consumers coming to its stores…

In 2023 overall self-service cafeterias recorded substantially slowed growth in terms of current value sales and total number of transactions. Compared to other foodservice categories, self-service cafeterias has only few outlets in the Netherlands.…

Though 2023 was a year of robust post-pandemic recovery for full-service restaurants in the Netherlands, many outlets reported financial difficulties. The overall category posted strong value sales growth, but restaurants also suffered from extreme…

Retail volume sales of coffee in the Netherlands are set to contract for a third consecutive year in 2023. This is partly attributable to the easing of the pandemic and the ending of associated restrictions, in that consumers are now spending more…

Microwaves declined in retail volume sales in 2023, with inflationary pressure leading consumers to be unwilling to spend on appliances. Microwaves was also particularly affected by the boost in sales during the pandemic years, with more consumers…

The traditional cheese sector in the Netherlands is facing a series of challenges in 2023, with a continued dip in retail volume sales. This is the result of several factors, including soaring cheese prices leading to fewer purchases among local…

In general, dermatologicals was largely unaffected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Most categories of dermatologicals continued to see retail volume growth in 2020, many of them at a similar rate to 2019. There are a number of underlying…

Juice is set to register a negative performance in off-trade volume terms for the third year in a row in 2023. As with carbonates, this is partly because the cost-of-living crisis has led Dutch consumers to rein in discretionary spending, but mainly…

Sportswear is rapidly gaining traction within Dutch apparel and footwear, constituting less than a quarter of total value sales in 2023. This upsurge is predominantly driven by the growing popularity of sports activities and the prevalent preference…

Anticipated healthy growth in childrenswear across its three subcategories in 2023 is being propelled by sustained demand for quality products and an escalating interest in fashion and design. The extended use of social media platforms is…

Although the tax burden is increasing, the Netherlands continues to enjoy significant economic freedom and solid state finances. High prices have negatively impacted economic momentum, but inflation is falling and unemployment is low. The quality of…