Sweden

In 2023, airlines in Sweden continue to see a rebound in passengers, as consumers place a higher importance on travel. Despite the relatively difficult economic climate, the volume of arrivals by air returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, air…

Despite the economic uncertainties in 2023, pent-up travel demand from the COVID-19 pandemic is driving bookings in Sweden. With both outbound and domestic travel on the rise, driven by elevated costs owing to general inflation, booking value…

Sweden's lodging (destination) category experienced a significant boom in 2022, as domestic and inbound travel surged following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Overnight stays and expenditure on lodgings has surpassed pre-pandemic levels,…

Inbound travel to Sweden has made a swift recovery in 2023, with the number of trips expected to return to pre-pandemic levels. The volume of trips made by foreign tourists was very modest in 2023, following the dynamic increases seen in 2022. All…

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on travel patterns in Sweden, with domestic tourism surging as the country faced travel restrictions and remaining strong even as its borders reopened. With all travel restrictions abolished in 2022, travel…

Unlike other European countries, Sweden did not impose major lockdown restrictions on households and businesses due to COVID-19, instead advising its citizens to observe social distancing measures, limit travel and avoid major gatherings in public…

Light vehicle sales declined in 2022 as pandemic-related issues and supply challenges persisted. The EV market is set to reach 82% of the total market by 2027. Sustainability incentives continue to dominate the mobility landscape, with further…

In its second edition, the EV Readiness Index 2023 indicates the best prepared markets for the electric vehicle (EV) transition. This follows growing EV take-up, with new electric passenger car registrations set to reach 20% of total registrations…

Baby food is facing challenges in Sweden, with the declining birth rate dampening retail volume sales. However, due to inflation and increasing production costs, baby food saw fast price rises in 2022 and continued to face growing prices at the…

As Swedes spent more time outside homes and ate out more, the elevated need for butter and spreads, as witnessed during the pandemic, was normalised. Nonetheless, while the demand declined, the unit prices increased due to inflation and growing…

Swedes consume cheese on many occasions during the day; for breakfast with sandwiches and using it in meals, while premium cheese is often indulged on and offered on cheese platters. As such, some cheeses are specifically positioned to be indulgent…

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, sales have continued to normalise, with Swedes ventured back to their workplaces, and eating out more often. However, the unit prices hikes seen in 2022, continued to grow in 2023, driven by the inflation and…

Drinking milk products in Sweden witness relative stability in 2023. Nonetheless, cow's milk consumption continues to drop as plant-based milks, new launches, and strong marketing allure consumers away. In addition, Swedes are often eating out,…

The unit prices in the other dairy category have experienced price hikes, due to inflation and increased production costs. In addition, sales have fallen back into the pre-pandemic area, as consumption habits normalised and Swedes ventured back into…

Plant-based dairy product selections have been expanded, as new trendy launches and focused marketing efforts boost sales. The cooking and eating-at-home trend is being met with new launches aligning with this rising trend, especially within…

The yoghurt and sour milk landscape is a mature one in Sweden. Inflation and increasing production costs hiked up the unit prices in 2022 and continued to do so at the beginning of 2023. Players reacted to the new demands as consumers began comparing…

Analgesics remained a key product area within consumer health in Sweden in 2023, having accounted for close to a quarter of overall OTC value sales. The most popular analgesics were those based on active ingredients acetaminophen or ibuprofen, with…

The Swedish market consumer health saw healthy growth in retail current value terms in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. However, this was driven mainly by inflationary pressures, rather than any real upturn in demand. While the rate…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies remained the largest product area within consumer health in Sweden in 2023. Following a two-year period of buoyant volume growth for most subcategories, demand weakened significantly in 2023, This was due…

Dermatologicals experienced a modest decline in overall constant value terms in 2023, although performance varied considerably according to subcategory. One notable development was the buoyant demand for antiparasitics/lice treatments, continuing the…

The health and wellness trend continued have a positive impact on sales on dietary supplements in 2023 as consumers focused on preventative health measures, rather than treating symptoms as they occurred. This trend was exacerbated by the COVID-19…

Retail sales of digestive remedies suffered a decline in constant value terms in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than the previous year. Growth continued to be impacted by inflationary pressures, exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, which…

Retail volume sales of eye care products continued to expand in 2023, albeit to a lesser extent than the previous two years. The return of pre-pandemic lifestyles, including the revival of international travel, gave rise to a growing incidence of…

Herbal/traditional products accounted for around one sixth of overall consumer health value in Sweden in 2023,. During 2022 and 2023, the high rate of inflation resulted in increased manufacturing and distribution, which placed pressure on margins.…

With only around one in 16 Swedes claiming to smoke, there is a limited potential consumer base for NRT smoking cessation aids compared with other categories, such as analgesics, cough, cold and allergies (hay fever) remedies, and wound care, which…

Paediatric consumer health remains a minor part of total consumer health in Sweden. The key reasons for this low share include the fact that children are usually treated with general products (suitable for adults and children) with the appropriate…

Retail volume sales of sleep aids saw a modest decline in Sweden in 2023, in contrast to the buoyant pattern of growth seen during the earlier years of the review period. The rate of growth was particularly high during the pandemic, when high levels…

Sports nutrition continued to see positive growth in constant value terms in 2023. The culture of going to the gym plays a significant role in generating demand for these products, as such venues also serve as important points of sale. As lives…

Vitamins saw exceptional growth during 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to a strong consumer focus on preventive health and a desire to boost the functioning of immune systems. This exceptional growth meant limited growth…

Weight management and wellbeing is small compared to categories such as sports nutrition, vitamins, and dietary supplements. While obesity is a major health issue in Sweden, consumers typically try to battle their weight problems by other means,…

Wound care continued to see positive, yet modest growth in retail volume terms in 2023. The category saw an notable increase in demand in 2021 and 2022, as life returned to normal following the pandemic. With people spending more time outside the…

Despite macroeconomic adversity on a global scale, tourism in 2023 was on the rise, with a growing number of visitors taking their holidays in Sweden. The number of foreign tourists in Sweden increased significantly in spring. In the big cities, it…

Retail current value sales of fine wines/champagne and spirits grew by 19% in 2023 to total SEK2.6 billion, boosted by consumers’ desire to enjoy themselves after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Socialising is a priority for many consumers,…

Personal luxury retail value sales increased by 18% in 2023 to amount to PLN6.6 billion, supporting growth recorded by leading brand providers, such as L’Oréal Polska Sp zoo, Kering SA and Chanel SA. Sales fell by 19% in 2020 due to the pandemic, but…

Personal luxury retail current value sales rose by 11% in 2023 to reach SEK15.2 billion, with growth supported by leading brand owners like E Saether AB, Hugo Boss AB and L’Oréal Sverige AB. Growth in 2023 was fuelled by consumers investing in luxury…

Retail current value sales of premium and luxury cars grew by 22% in 2023 to total SEK58.5 billion. This was due to rising demand from higher-income consumers, with expenditure proving resilient despite wider macroeconomic headwinds. The demand for…

In 2022, Sweden experienced population growth, driven by increased immigration, notably from Ukrainian citizens seeking refuge due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Millennials became the largest generational cohort, shaping consumer behaviour with…

The number of households is set to increase moderately in Sweden over 2022-2027, with single person remaining the dominant household type. In 2022, household spending was affected by inflation, which stood at 8.4%, elevating living costs. The fastest…

Although the political scene is facing instability, Sweden will soon join NATO, whilst its state finances remain sustainable. A slowing economy has been hampered by elevated food and energy prices, but inflation is falling and infrastructure upgrades…

Total packaging volumes in baby food saw slow and stable growth in Sweden over 2020-2022, with the pandemic and associated economic uncertainties having little impact on the category. Swedish parents consider their children’s nutrition to be a…

Total confectionery packaging volumes saw a marginal decline in 2022. Although chocolate confectionery and gum saw increases in their packaging volumes in this year, the decline witnessed in sugar confectionery was enough to drive the overall…

Unit volumes of dairy packaging declined for a second year in Sweden in 2022, normalising following the surge in demand the category witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Lockdowns, fears of viral transmission, and foodservice closures…

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a significant boost to volume sales of meals and soups in Sweden, as consumers remained within their homes for fear of contracting the disease. Meals and soups categories such as ready meals, frozen pizza, meal kits,…

Plant-based dairy packaging volumes continued to see strong growth in 2022, due to the rise in consumer demand for plant-based products due health, ethical, or environmental reasons. Swedish consumers are particularly conscious of the impact their…

After seeing exceptional growth in 2020, packaging volumes of processed fruit and vegetables declined in Sweden in 2022, as consumer habits returned to normal following the pandemic. When the pandemic emerged, fears of viral transmission kept…

Processed meat and seafood saw dynamic volume growth in Sweden when the pandemic emerged in 2020, as consumers sought to stock up on food that they could store, to avoid the risk of viral transmission. From 2021 onwards, however, as consumers resumed…

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Sweden, fears of contracting the disease and restrictions on mobility in the country led to an increased interest in home cooking. Sauces, dips and condiments consequently saw dynamic growth in packaging…

Despite already seeing growth in packaging volumes in 2020 and 2021, sweet spreads continued to see an increase in volumes in 2022, although at a slower rate. While many consumers returned to work, school and social lives, they continued to lead more…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

Vegetarian, vegan and plant-based alternatives saw a boom in popularity in several packaged food categories towards the end of the review period with ready meals being no exception. There is a strong demand for healthier food alternatives in Sweden,…