North America

The generation of plastic waste has been an important concern for players in the packaged food industry for a number of years now, with brand owners continuing to innovate their packaging to boost sustainability credentials and meet plans to reduce…

While HDPE bottles, PET bottles and PET jars are the main pack types in mayonnaise in Canada, glass jars were gaining share in unit volume terms in this category over the review period, with this expected to continue over the forecast period. Glass…

At the end of the review period, much of sauces, dips and condiments has been characterised by the same price increases, decreasing volume sales, and increasing private label share seen in other packaged food categories. Mustard, facing inconsistency…

The segment of sauces, dips, and condiments is experiencing robust value growth, primarily fuelled by aggressive new product development activities conducted throughout the year. Manufacturers are introducing consumers to innovative products, with a…

Rising consumer awareness around incontinence and proper condition management, partnerships with direct-to-consumer platforms and the expanding 65+ year-old population in the US all contributed to healthy value and volume growth in the…

In 2023, RTDs in the US maintained total volume decline along with current value growth. The common trend in alcoholic drinks of value growth and volume decline in 2023 aligns with the resonant message of premiumisation, particularly “less but…

RTDs remain the top performer in alcoholic drinks, driven by strong consumer demand. Though a relatively small segment, RTDs are experiencing explosive growth, particularly among Generation Z. This demographic embraces innovative flavours, prompting…

RTD tea has historically been one of the most stable soft drinks categories in the US. It is a mature category with a wide variety of products targeted towards different demographics, with varying levels of sugar content. Although individual brands…

In off-trade volume terms, RTD tea recorded a healthier performance in 2023 than during the previous year of review. This reflects the appeal of RTD tea among younger Canadians, who consider it a healthier alternative to carbonates and sugary juices.…

RTD coffee in the US can be thought of as multiple distinct segments, instead of a single unified category. The first products to enter the market were coffee shop-style beverages that were sweetened. Starbucks Frappuccino is the leading brand in…

Off-trade volume and current value growth in RTD coffee was substantial and higher than that seen in 2022. This reflects the appeal of RTD coffee among Canadians and ongoing new product development. RTD Coffee has emerged as a drink for a modern…

Despite rising prices, rice saw retail volume growth above that of pasta and noodles in 2022, and this is set to continue in 2023, although all categories are set to see rising sales. As food inflation and fears of recession have continued, consumers…

Despite reaching record high price levels, the rice, pasta, and noodles category has experienced a modest dip in value sales. Consumers are becoming increasingly mindful of their dietary choices and are reducing their carbohydrate intake, opting for…

2023’s tissue market saw a complex dance between rising costs and consumer spending. While raw material and manufacturing costs pushed up prices across all categories, particularly napkins, paper towels and toilet paper, volume sales continued to…

In 2023, value sales of retail tissue in Canada recorded steady growth. The country’s annual inflation rate settled around 3.1%, a much steadier adjustment than the 40-year high of 6.8% that it witnessed in 2022, according to the Consumer Price…

In 2022, the annual rate of inflation in the US rose to the highest level recorded in 40 years. As a result, rising costs firmly supplanted the COVID-19 pandemic as US consumers’ foremost concern. With the prices of groceries and petrol rising…

The retail market in Canada showed remarkable resilience and growth in 2023, despite the challenges posed by the enduring impact of the COVID-19 crisis, the high rate of inflation, and supply chain disruptions. Canadian consumers continued to spend…

In 2022, as the rate of inflation in the US hit the highest level seen in decades, consumers were forced to look for ways to ration their spending. This had a significant impact on the retail industry, as US residents cut back on purchases of…

The growth of retail e-commerce slowed down in Canada in 2023. However, the channel saw sales continue to rise in both current and constant value terms, with retail e-commerce having become a regular feature in the shopping patterns of a broad range…

In 2022, prompted by increased costs throughout the supply chain and a high inflation environment in the US, players in the hygiene space and beyond were forced to raise prices for their products. Adult incontinence was not exempt from these external…

Educational efforts from brands and retailers, coupled with the ageing Canadian population, have significantly contributed to a positive outlook for retail adult incontinence in 2023 and beyond. As demographics shift and the population ages, there is…

Refrigeration appliances is set to see a weak year in 2023, as several categories are expected to face retail volume decline, after a period of robust expansion during the pandemic, primarily fuelled by the heightened consumer demand for food storage…

The year 2023 saw a notable downturn in the sales of refrigeration appliances, primarily influenced by the sluggish state of the housing market. This downturn marked a continuation of the negative trend observed in 2022. Despite the decline in volume…

2020 saw a surge in demand for ready meals packaging, as fears of supply chain disruption led consumers to stockpile ready meals, with frozen ready meals in paper-based cartons proving to be particularly popular. Frozen pizza was also a standout…

Retail volumes continue to marginally fall in 2023, as competition from processed foods threatens demand for pulses in the US. Evolving lifestyles and inconsistent daily routines continue to make it increasingly unappealing for consumers to take…

Following several years of price hikes due to supply chain issues, inflationary pressures, and lockdowns, much like other categories in staple foods, processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat has continued to experience unit price increases…

The relentless surge in food prices, driven by hyperinflation in 2022 and 2023, is reshaping the shopping habits of many Canadians. A considerable number of consumers are tightening their belts across various product categories, including meat. The…

Within processed meat categories such as chilled processed meat, the naturalness of meat products is becoming increasingly important as US consumers are continuously growing more aware of the impact of their consumption both on their health and on…

Processed meat and seafood packaging had been in decline for a number of years before the pandemic resulted in a growth spike in 2020 in Canada. Since 2020, it has been back in decline, including another fall in its packaging unit volumes in 2023.…

Shelf stable fruit player GoGo squeeZ is constantly innovating its packaging in order to align with its sustainability goals, with initiatives such as transitioning its aluminium/plastic retort pouch packaging to use 100% recycled materials in 2020…

Glass jars are popular for use in shelf stable vegetables packaging in Canada due to their exceptional preservation properties, visual appeal and environmental credentials. These qualities make them a popular choice for manufacturers and consumers…

With producers seeing little relief in production costs, categories across processed fruit and vegetables saw unit price increases leap by double digits in 2022. Little relief is expected in 2023, with unit price growth expected to remain in the…

Processed fruits and vegetables are experiencing an increase in value growth, primarily driven by rising prices. The years 2022 and 2023 witnessed some of the sharpest price hikes for fruits and vegetables. This inflationary trend has also impacted…

In 2023, premium beauty and personal care continued to outpace the current value growth rate of overall beauty and personal care in the US, as well as its mass counterpart, maintaining double-digit growth. However, premium beauty and personal care…

Premium beauty and personal care in Canada witnessed robust growth in 2023, driven by consumers' heightened focus on self-care, health, and wellbeing. Despite the lingering stress and economic turbulence induced by the pandemic and high inflation,…

Value sales of premium and luxury cars rose by 6% to total USD130.1 billion in 2023, although this was more subdued growth after two consecutive years of double-digit increases. As the pandemic cased to have an impact and consumer returned to their…

Premium and luxury cars is set to see current value growth of 6% to total CAD14.8 billion in 2023. This growth is as a result of elevated demand from higher-income consumers exhibiting resilience in the face of macroeconomic challenges. Wealth…

2023 is likely to go down as the first generally “normal” year of the 2020s. While 2022 saw most companies return to at least some form of hybrid working, the emergence of the Omicron variant early in the year had a significant effect on the overall…

Pre-paid cards is seeing continued robust rises across all metrics in Canada in 2023, with growth in some areas outshining that of 2022. This is in large part thanks to a wave of innovation from card issues that is redefining the landscape. One of…

2023 saw e-readers experience declining volume sales after positive growth was registered in the category during 2022. This return to negative sales growth is indicative of the general slowdown that is being seen in demand for these products despite…

Retail volume sales of portable players increased in 2023, thanks to better economic conditions, which impacted positively on discretionary consumer spending. Wireless speakers were the key beneficiary of this trend, with a growing demand for these…

The ongoing decline in demand for furniture polish in the US is being driven by consumer behaviour trends that indicate a preference for purchasing lower-quality furniture, thereby reducing the need for related care products. This shift reflects an…

Polishes experienced retail value growth in 2023, driven by price increases, which challenged retail volume sales and led to a volume decline. Shoe polish saw the weakest decline in 2023, with consumers returning to workplaces following COVID-19 and…

Plant-based yoghurt, following in the footsteps of the popularity of plant-based milk, is increasingly growing in the US from a niche to a mainstream product, attracting a growing eco- and health-conscious consumer base. Awareness around the growing…

While brick liquid cartons and gable top liquid cartons are still the biggest pack types in the category in unit volume terms, shaped liquid cartons are seeing strong growth and gaining share in the packaging of plant-based milk in Canada. Shaped…

Plant-based dairy continues its popularity in 2023, thanks to ongoing health and wellness trends, along with receiving increased interest and investments from industry leaders. Previously, plant-based was more of a select area containing specialist…

In 2023, the growth trajectory of plant-based dairy exhibits a stabilisation in comparison to 2022, while overall demand remains robust. The appeal of plant-based dairy products remains consistent, fuelled by a confluence of factors, including…

Pet products is set to maintain current value growth in the US in 2024, with increases across all categories. Healthy ageing has remained a key growth driver across pet care categories. For pet products, this has raised the opportunity for the…

The pet humanisation trend is also evident in pet products in Canada. Thus, pet-friendly home décor continued to gain popularity towards the end of the review period. As more owners view their pets as valued family members, they are more inclined to…

Pet care is set to maintain slow retail volume growth and more dynamic current value growth in the US in 2024. This year, premiumisation has become a sharpening double-edged sword for future growth in pet care. Although premium categories are set to…