Panama

Home care is registered a strong performance in 2023, given the favourable macroeconomic environment in the country. Laundry care and surface care constitute the two largest categories, both of which saw steady consumer demand over the review period.…

Supply chain challenges and higher global cellulose raw material prices led to higher average retail prices for tissue and hygiene products in 2023. Despite inflation, the reopening of society favoured products that offer convenience as lifestyles…

Soft drinks consumption achieved solid growth in 2023. This was based on strong growth of both carbonates and bottled water, which combined account for the lion’s share of market volume sales. Soft drinks is also benefiting from the recovery of…

Retailing rebounded strongly in 2022 in a continuation of the previous year. The reopening of society and the resumption of pre-pandemic lifestyles were enabled by the rollout of vaccines and the waning of the virus, all of which reduced fears of…

The impact of COVID-19 has come to an end and all alcoholic drink is performing well in 2022. However, despite a rebounding on-trade, the off-trade has surpassed 2019 volume sales in many categories while the on-trade has not, as at-home consumption…

Volume sales of cigarettes continued to decline in 2022. Government anti-tobacco initiatives, a decrease in smoking prevalence and growth in illicit trade challenged legal sales. Despite inflation-induced price sensitivity, premium brands remained…

Corruption undermines economic freedom in Panama and protests have been widespread, although state finances are strengthening. Economic momentum has slowed, but foreign investment is increasing and the Panama Canal continues to play an important role…

Consumer health sales grew moderately in 2023 as consumers prioritised their spending on essential goods over preventive health. As a result, vitamins and dietary supplements and weight management and wellbeing were the most affected. However, sports…

Hot drinks sales achieved strong growth in 2023. While the largest category coffee performed best, growth was not as strong as had been expected. In addition to category maturity, sales were also hampered by significant global price hikes. Economic…

Panama’s sales of staple foods are buoyed by extensive urbanisation, the rise of modern grocery retailers and wider product selection. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resumption of pre-pandemic lifestyles, Russia’s invasion of…

Snacks is set to see healthy growth in retail volume sales in 2023. Despite difficult economic conditions and rising prices, demand for snacks will remain healthy with falling unemployment acting in support. Confectionery is set to benefit from a…

Beauty and personal care saw healthy growth in 2022 backed by the reopening of the economy and consumers pursuing more active lives outside the home for work, education and social reasons. The high dependence on imports put upward pressure on prices…

High inflation led to significant unit price rises in dairy products and alternatives during 2023 putting pressure on household incomes. This in turn forced consumers to adopt a more conservative approach to their spending. Manufacturers were also…

Cooking ingredients and meals slowed in volume terms in 2023 while value sales rose strongly due to rising inflation. Substantial unit price increases put significant pressure on household incomes, resulting in a more conservative approach to…

The number of households is set to increase moderately in Panama over 2022-2027, with couples with children remaining the dominant household type. In 2022 household spending was affected by inflation, which stood at 2.9% elevating living costs. The…

The commodities country overview provides comprehensive data on production, consumption and price trends on key commodities markets. The commodities overview in Panama covers production and consumption trends in agricultural commodities, energy…

The population increase in Panama from 2021 to 2040 will be driven by positive natural change, with births outweighing deaths. Improved living standards and the arrival of retired migrants will drive ageing, with the rise of a senior demographic…

Insight into income, wealth and expenditure of consumers and households is vital in helping businesses make strategic decisions with regards to which country (or even which region within a country) to enter, which consumer segment to target, which…

This report assesses the business environment in Panama, focusing on the regulatory environment, stability of the financial system, FDI intake, labour market flexibility and skillset, trade openness, mobility infrastructure, ICT adoption and…

The report examines the economic landscape of Panama and provides information on major monetary indicators, foreign trade, investments and government finance. The economy in Panama grew in real terms in 2022, driven by rising public and private…