North America

Beer, despite being the largest alcoholic drink category in Canada, continued to lose popularity in 2023. The country's younger population increasingly moved away from traditional beer, perceiving it as a drink for older generations. The category…

Hair care lost its position as the biggest category in unit volume terms in beauty and personal care packaging to bath and shower in 2020, when the latter product area experienced a massive spike in demand due to the pandemic arriving in the US in…

The growth of skin care packaging in Canada can be attributed to an increasing demand for skin care products as Canadians place a greater emphasis on self-care and wellness. This has led to a greater need for packaging solutions that accommodate the…

In 2023, beauty and personal care in the US posted high single-digit current value growth for the second year in a row, with an improving volume performance. It is a dynamic and fast-growing industry that continues to evolve along with changing…

In 2023, beauty and personal care continued its growth trajectory following a robust recovery in the previous year. Fragrances, colour cosmetics, and skin care led in terms of value sales as Canadians sought out "affordable luxuries" to boost their…

In 2022, the US experienced continued pandemic-related behaviours amidst spiking cases, as well as inflationary-driven price increases that impeded the performance of bath and shower. As consumers grappled with tightening wallets, and traded down to…

Bath and shower exhibited robust growth in 2023, primarily driven by price escalations as volumes lagged due to consumer retrenchment amidst inflationary pressures and premiumisation. Categories such as liquid soap, considered household staples,…

2022 was characterised by constant unit price increases across packaged food, and baked goods was no exception; and this trend has continued in 2023. This is set to lead to dynamic increases in current value terms across baked goods categories in the…

Retail volume sales of baked goods are contracting in growth as prices continue to soar to record levels. Rising prices are compelling consumers to down trade or turn to discount retailers for their grocery needs, including baked goods. Stores like…

Despite high travel costs and inflation in 2022, consumers were committed to continuing their travel plans post-pandemic, which benefited sales of luggage, and certain bags, such as backpacks and duffel bags, as consumers looked to refresh or upgrade…

In 2023, bags and luggage registered robust growth, with luggage leading the way with double-digit gains as it continued to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite higher inflation, Canadians were eager to travel after several years…

Although 2023 was an exception, aluminium/plastic pouches have generally been gaining share in baby food in packaging unit volume terms, with this expected to continue over the forecast period. Aluminium/plastic pouches are particularly widely used…

Stand-up pouches are the most popular pack type in Canadian baby food, including both plastic pouches and aluminium/plastic pouches. They are viewed as offering a modern look, while being lighter and safer than glass, and enabling infants to feed…

2023 is showing continued inflationary pricing – particularly so in the case of formula, where. producers leveraged pricing to regain losses suffered during 2022 shortages. Although Abbott Laboratories Inc’s temporary production halts increased…

Growing health awareness is leading parents to opt for healthier baby food, particularly snacks. Snacking items are also experiencing an uptick in demand due to the higher number of working mothers seeking high-quality, healthy snacks for their…

In 2023, significant current value growth was seen in every category within baby and child-specific products in the US. Baby and child-specific sun care showed the most dynamic value growth in this year. Parents are becoming more conscious of the…

Despite the prevailing high inflation rates that strained family budgets and escalated the costs of essential commodities such as groceries, the sales of baby and child-specific products remained resilient in 2023. Value growth was primarily…

The US away-from-home (AFH) tissue segment continued to post strong positive value and volume growth in 2023, assisted by companies’ implementation of increasingly rigid back-to-office policies. While some in-office mandates still consider the hybrid…

The away-from-home adult incontinence market in Canada is experiencing a mixed landscape. On one hand, continuous growth is expected in the 65+ age demographic in Canada through the forecast period, with Canadians 65+ expected to exceed 9 million by…

In 2023, sales of appliances and electronics specialists in the US declined for a second year running in both current value terms and in value terms at constant 2023 prices. The inflationary environment led consumers to postpone discretionary…

Appliances and electronics specialists worked to adapt to changing market conditions in Canada in 2023. When shopping for appliances and electronics, consumers are demanding fast and efficient service, both online and in-store. Retailers are adopting…

In 2023, current value growth in apparel and footwear specialists slowed for a second year in a row in the US, as demand continued to normalise relative to 2021, and consumers managed through another year of high inflation. This is a bit misleading,…

Continuing on from the promising performance of the previous two years, apparel and footwear specialists continued to see growth in Canada in current value terms in 2023. The factors that drove growth in the retail apparel market included the…

Apparel and footwear in the US, which saw robust growth in 2021, encountered a noticeable deceleration in both current value and volume terms starting from 2022. This slowdown can primarily be attributed to the persistent inflation and ongoing…

In 2023, apparel and footwear sustained its growth trajectory, building on the momentum generated in the robust year of 2022. The first half of 2023 witnessed accelerated expansion as consumers actively engaged in refreshing and upgrading their…

In 2020, current value sales of apparel accessories witnessed a significant decline, with limited demand for these items, except for face masks (included under other apparel accessories). While the category experienced some value growth in 2021, it…

Mask demand experiences a significant decrease in 2023 following the conclusion of most public mask mandates in 2022. Remaining mandates, including those in public areas of hospitals in Canada, also have come to an end in 2023. With declining…

There are interesting developments in terms of diverging performances within adult systemic analgesics. In 2023, acetaminophen is set to drive current value growth, and significantly outpace the overall performance of adult analgesics. Growth in…

Systematic analgesics is expected to register positive retail value (constant 2023 prices) growth over 2023, after a spike in 2022 driven by very strong demand for paediatric analgesics, as well as fast demand for adult pain relief, as respiratory…

The continued increase in packaging unit volumes for RTDs in the US, despite the overall decline in the alcoholic drinks packaging industry in this country, is attributed to factors such as convenience and portability, changing consumer preferences…

Alcoholic drinks packaging declined in the retail channel, increased in the foodservice channel and saw only minimal growth overall in Canada in 2022. While shifting consumer preferences towards premium and craft beverages have been seen in recent…

In 2023, the collective weight of inflationary pressures, waning consumer confidence, and persistent brand boycotts led total volume sales of alcoholic drinks in the US to drop to their lowest level in a decade. Bright spots existed in categories…

Alcoholic drinks in Canada in 2023 presented a mixed picture. While overall volume growth remained modest, strong performances by Ready-to-Drink (RTD) beverages and non-alcoholic drinks masked a decline in traditional alcoholic beverage consumption.…

Following a steep decline in 2020, and a slow 2021, airlines in the US truly began their recovery in 2022. This year saw consumers return to international travel in a meaningful way, as well return to many tier-one domestic city destinations.…

After and unprecedented resurgence in travel in the second half of 2022 and throughout 2023, following the deep collapse of the industry during the pandemic, airlines aim to provide the very best customer service experience in the safest environment…

Air treatment products saw a slight decline in 2022, after strong volume and current value growth in 2020 and 2021. However, the category is expected to be one of the few to see both current value and volume growth in 2023, due to very high…

In 2023, Canada experienced a surge in the demand for air purifiers driven by widespread wildfires across provinces like Quebec, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. The federal government issued multiple alerts concerning the health hazards of air pollution…

Air care in the US suffered a current value drop of 5% in 2023, marking the second consecutive year of decline. This downturn represents a corrective phase following the robust growth observed by the category during the pandemic. Throughout 2023, air…

Air care retail value and volume sales decreased in 2023, losing momentum after recording positive growth during the outbreak of COVID-19. Consumers spent more time at home during the pandemic, and used air care products to create a more pleasant…