Market research on consumer products, commercial industries, demo...
Market research on consumer products, commercial industries, demographics trends and consumer lifestyles in South Africa. Includes comprehensive data and analysis, tables and charts, with five-year forecasts.
The pandemic has dramatically changed South Africans’ lifestyles in many ways, a trend that is greatly benefiting demand for consumer appliances. For instance, many businesses have now adopted remote/hybrid working models, meaning that employees…
Moisture and air exposure can lead to undesirable changes in the texture and taste of confectionery such as sugar confectionery, including gummies and chews, and chocolate confectionery, such as boxed assortments. As a result, flexible plastic…
In 2023, the average unit price of concentrates witnessed considerably faster growth compared to overall soft drinks in South Africa, although it remains considerably lower per litre (RTD) than the latter. The impact of the sugar tax (the Health…
South Africa remained subject to widespread electricity blackouts (load-shedding) in 2023, which meant that were was no power supply during certain times of the day. This had a negative impact on the operating capability of many organisations across…
The report examines key factors in supply chain risks in metals, energy and agricultural commodities. Production, market supply concentration and political risks analysis can help to better identify potential risks and prepare for potential…
The commodities country overview provides comprehensive data on production, consumption and price trends on key commodities markets. The commodities overview in South Africa covers production and consumption trends in agricultural commodities, energy…
Demand for colour cosmetics in South Africa remained below pre-pandemic levels in 2023, as many local consumers continued to struggle financially and reduced their purchases of perceived non-essential products. However, sales promotions on colour…
Instant coffee retains its dominance of coffee in retail volume terms in South Africa, with sales continuing to rise in 2023 as many local consumers prioritise their disposable incomes by regularly making coffee at home. They are turning to channels…
The briefing introduces the Cities Households Necessities Spending Index. The index ranks 1,075 cities by household expenditure on non-discretionary items, namely food, housing, and clothing and footwear. This analysis focuses on 160 major cities.…
Traditionally, shisha that incorporates the use of pipe tobacco in South Africa was marketed as safe, and made popular during social events due to a positive perception. It is a product that is fairly popular among the younger demographic. However,…
Despite the growing demand for e-vapour products, and the declining revenue and volumes of cigarettes in South Africa, the latter category continued to represent the largest value share within tobacco in 2023. In understanding this demographic, males…
Cider/perry in South Africa witnessed intensified competition in 2023 from other categories, driven by solid growth, marketing and the development by leading players and newer entrants. For example, Brutal Fruit, known for its RTD offer, has been…
Chocolate confectionery is set to record solid retail current value growth in 2023, driven by unit price increases of around 10% in most categories. Meanwhile, without innovation in terms of flavours, and digital campaigns, stronger volume declines…
Many local consumers remain extremely price sensitive in 2023 due to high levels of inflation impacting the prices of food, fuel, mortgage and even rent in South Africa. Hence, they are looking for value for money when they purchase childrenswear.…
The cheese category is set to experience muted retail volume growth in 2023, due to a double-digit increase in the average unit price. Significant rises in prices have been limiting consumer purchases, leading to only slow growth in cheese…
Following the significant decline in transaction value and volumes experienced in 2020 due to extended restrictions imposed in the South African travel and hospitality industries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the complete lifting of the state…
Cat food is expected to maintain current value growth in South Africa in 2024. The cat population has been rising faster than the dog population in in the country, with the rising popularity of cats leading to increased demand for cat food. While the…
Large category players are narrowing their offerings. As a result, Tab has been discontinued in South Africa. Leading player Coca-Cola seeks to strengthen its current brands and exclude low-performing ones. In its place, it has introduced a…
The Cape Town in South Africa 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…
The legal cannabis market in South Africa has continued to see strong growth on the back of the landmark judgement in 2018, which determined private use and consumption of cannabis as legal within private spaces. As an example, private spaces include…
With COVID-19 restrictions on foodservice outlet trading hours being enforced for a number of years in South Africa, the after effects are still being felt and there is a continued shift from evening to daytime dining. This trend is further…
In 2023, double-digit food inflation has seen consumers reduce their overall consumption across categories, with butter, cooking fats, and margarine and spreads all set to see retail volume declines. This is the second year that the prices of…
South Africa continues to rank in the bottom half of the Economic Freedom Index, due to the high tax burden, skills shortages and poor fiscal health. However, the country benefits from a stable and sound financial system, high market capitalisation,…
Many consumers in South Africa are price sensitive, but within the context of the review period, they are more cash-strapped than ever before. There are numerous compounding factors reducing the spending power of local consumers, including elevated…
South Africa has been facing drinking water supply issues, supporting elevated demand for bottled water compared to pre-pandemic levels, including for still bottled water, despite declining off-trade volume sales as a result of a greater return to…
There continues to be a noticeable preference for shorter lead-time bookings, particularly when it comes to holiday destinations that are closer to the customer’s home and offer lower travel costs. These include journeys that can be easily undertaken…
Demand for bleach in South Africa remained stable in 2023, with some consumers choosing this more affordable alternative to surface care due to the impact of inflation on disposable incomes. However, inflationary pressures resulted in category leader…
Emerging flavoured non alcoholic beer in South Africa has been made popular and stimulated by Bavaria’s offering across a number of channels. Bavaria’s mango, apple, ginger lime and peach offer fruit-flavoured diversity in a space that is starting to…
Bath and shower products were recording the strongest unit volume growth rates in beauty and personal care packaging in South Africa in 2022, which can be attributed to the increasing hygiene awareness among consumers as well as their changing…
In 2023, demand for beauty and personal care in South Africa continued to rise, despite many local consumers experiencing financial difficulties due to the cost-of-living crises. As a result, South Africans prioritised their expenditure and where…
Bath and shower in South African remained an essential category for many local consumers in 2023. Despite being financially challenged, much of the country’s population perceives bar soap as essential and tends to be included in most consumers’…
The average unit price of leavened bread in South Africa, which holds the highest retail volume share in baked goods, has increased significantly in 2023, resulting in another year of retail volume decline, following its weak performance the previous…
During 2023, many South Africans have been battling to survive financially. Due to consumers being cash-strapped, they have been prioritising the purchase of essential products, including items such as food, fuel, and mortgage or rent. With this…
Flexible plastic and folding cartons remained popular packaging types for dried baby food in South Africa (the second largest category in baby food packaging), as they are considered more lightweight and easy to transport, making them convenient for…
The average unit price of milk formula is set to see a double-digit rise in 2023 overall, due to inflation and rising production costs. The rising unit price of milk formula is set to result in a retail volume decline for this category in 2023, as…
Baby and child-specific products in South Africa remained resilient in 2023, despite a struggling economy. Many consumers continued to prioritise their children’s wellbeing, supporting further demand across the category. This ongoing positive…
South Africa is no longer facing the restrictions of the pandemic, employees have returned to offices and consumers are generally spending greater time outside of the home. This also means that hospitals are no longer full of patients requiring…
In 2023, sales via appliances and electronics specialists in South Africa were mainly driven by high inflation and currency depreciation, which directly influenced prices. The channel was also affected by lower demand from cash-strapped consumers,…
The performance of apparel and footwear specialists in South Africa continued to improve in 2023, due to consumers’ revived routines such as returning to the workplace and shopping centres. As inflationary pressure has been impacting disposable…
For many South Africans, apparel and footwear is perceived as a non-essential purchase, with price-sensitive consumers reducing their discretionary spending in 2023 due to the impact of high inflation on food, fuel and even electricity. Consumers are…
With many consumers struggling financially in South Africa, apparel accessories are regarded as non-essential purchases. With the high levels of inflation that impact the daily cost of living for South Africans, many consumers are reducing their…
When it comes to pain management, analgesics is a popular category, specifically acetaminophen. For many consumers, acetaminophen is their go-to preference as it is easily available across various channels. Additionally, it can be bought without…
Unlike in many countries, which only saw the closure of foodservice establishments, the sale of alcohol was banned completely in South Africa to help control the spread of the COVID-19 virus in 2020. This meant that, also unlike most other nations,…
Total volume growth of alcoholic drinks in South Africa was significantly slower in 2023 compared to the previous year, as the country grappled with a period of high inflation. As a result, alcoholic drinks manufacturers experienced increased…
In 2022, airlines in South Africa faced unexpected challenges, leading to devastating consequences for the country's major competitors. Mango, the low cost carrier of South African Airways, had its licence suspended for two years, while Comair, the…
Since the pandemic, general dynamics in consumers’ lifestyles have dramatically changed in South Africa. Ongoing remote/hybrid working models for employees mean that many of them continue to spend greater time at home than they would have compared to…
Demand for air care in South Africa continued to rise in 2023, albeit with marginally slower volume sales growth compared to the previous year, as the country experienced a surge in inflation. This contributed to higher company revenues and profits…