Sweden

Plant-based dairy, primarily oat-based, remained the most popular category in health and wellness dairy products and alternatives in Sweden in 2022. The category was notably boosted by the pandemic which led to consumers paying more attention to…

The lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic combined with the economic fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to skyrocketing unit prices as Sweden experienced spiralling rates of inflation. This led to a drop in disposable income which in…

Swedes love their snacks with high levels of per capita consumption for most categories but demand for healthier options remains comparatively quite low. Unlike most packaged food categories where consumers are opting for healthier alternatives of…

The shift from traditional or sugary alternatives, such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, to low/no sugar variants, like Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Light, and Pepsi Max, is not a new trend, but it is the longest standing health trend in soft drinks. This…

Plant-based meat and seafood substitutes enjoyed strong growth in current value terms in 2022 with the category continuing to benefit from the rising number of vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian consumers in Sweden. Consumers are looking to eat…

Charge cards are increasingly viewed as a niche product in Sweden, accounting for just 1% of all transactions in 2023, and therefore recorded further decline in the year. In a development which started before the COVID-19 crisis, fewer and fewer…

Consumer credit suffered during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when economic uncertainty saw the postponement of larger purchases. While gross lending surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2022, consumers remained cautious, amid much uncertainty…

Gross lending in Sweden registered positive, yet slower growth in 2022, as the uncertain economic environment, exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, led to a decline in consumer confidence. In August 2022, the annual inflation rate soared…

After the pandemic, there has been much pent-up demand for activities which were restricted, including going out and travelling abroad. Also, many Swedes managed to make significant savings during COVID-19 and have been able to spend more…

Debit cards remain the most popular type of financial card in Sweden in 2023 in terms of the number of cards in circulation, and current value and volume transactions. The popularity of debit cards is attributable to the high share of digital…

The two pandemic years boosted the use of financial cards in Sweden. While the use of cash in the country was already exceptionally low by global standards at the start of the review period, its role diminished further during the pandemic due to…

Pre-paid cards remain relatively strong in terms of the number of cards, but hold a very marginal share of all card payment transactions in 2023. Bank account penetration is almost universal in Sweden, with the result that pre-paid cards are…

Store cards are registering further decline in terms of both the number and value of transactions in 2023 as they are perceived to be old-fashioned, plus other financial card types and instruments offer greater flexibility. In contrast to credit…

Demand remained under pressure in many categories of cooking ingredients and meals in 2023 due to high inflation and rising unit prices. With the squeeze on Europe’s fuel and energy supplies resulting from the Ukraine conflict causing significant…

Edible oils registered negative volume growth during 2023 as high inflation and the normalisation of sales trends during the post-pandemic era contributed to a significant slowdown in demand. After very positive retail volume growth was recorded in…

Significant numbers of Swedish consumers continue to reach for ready meals when they need a convenient option for a quick meal or snack during their busy daily schedules. As the pace of life in Swedish cities continues to accelerate, busy urban…

Demand for sauces, dips and condiments fell over the course of 2023, the second consecutive year of retail volume sales declines in the category. The main reason for the lacklustre performance seen in the category during the year is the return to…

Sweet spreads registered static retail volume growth in 2023 as the category continued to experience a rebalancing of growth rates after the rollercoaster ride that volume sales were on earlier in the review period. Specifically, demand for sweet…

In 2023, baked goods in Sweden continues to exhibit normalising sales. After the pandemic, sales through foodservice took a hit, leading consumers to shift towards retail as they preferred dining at home. Additionally, unit prices have continued to…

In 2023, breakfast cereals have experienced normalising sales as the foodservice sector continues its recovery. However, retail sales have dropped back to pre-pandemic levels. Simultaneously, unit prices have seen an increase due to inflation and…

In 2023, processed fruit and vegetables experienced a return to normal sales as the foodservice industry rebounded, and retail sales returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, unit prices were impacted by inflation and increased production costs,…

In Sweden, the market for processed meat, seafood, and meat alternatives experienced a return to normal sales in 2023 after the pandemic. The foodservice sector recovered as dining out rebounded, while retail sales reverted to pre-COVID-19 levels.…

In 2023, sales of rice, pasta, and noodles rebounded to pre-pandemic levels as foodservice sales continued their recovery and retail sales dropped back. Additionally, unit prices saw growth due to inflation and increased production costs.

In 2023, staple foods in Sweden witnessed several key trends, influenced by consumer preferences, economic factors, and the ongoing health and wellness movement. Staple foods, including rice, pasta, and noodles, which saw a strong uptick in demand…

Apparel accessories has seen a weaker performance in 2023, following strong growth in 2021 and a stable development in 2022 (excluding Other Apparel, which plummeted due to face masks no longer being needed).

Apparel and footwear in Sweden is expected to display weaker current retail value and volume growth in 2023. Retail volume will post an overall decline, while retail value is set to remain positive, albeit lower than levels experienced in 2021 and…

In 2023, childrenswear in Sweden is anticipated to follow the overall apparel trend, showing a decrease in retail volume sales. The landscape remained relatively stable during COVID-19, but similar shopping patterns influence it, as some Swedish…

Similar to apparel, footwear is projected to exhibit a decline in retail volume growth in 2023, with retail value sales remaining positive, primarily attributed to inflation and rising unit prices. The sector faced a steeper decline than apparel…

Hosiery is set to display a retail volume decline in 2023, in line with overall apparel and footwear. The landscape experienced an upswing in performance with the return of in-store shopping following the COVID-19; however, the cost-of-living crisis,…

Jeans is predicted to register a decrease in retail volume terms in 2023, with current retail value remaining positive due to inflation and rising unit prices. Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, jeans struggled with retail volume growth, with…

Menswear is expected to develop in line with the overall apparel landscape in 2023, displaying a retail volume decline while retail value sales remain positive due to inflation and rising unit prices. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, menswear was…

Despite facing a high degree of maturity, in 2023, sportswear will continue to display faster growth than the overall apparel and footwear industry. Sportswear performed relatively well during COVID-19, with consumers taking an even larger interest…

In 2023, the performance of womenswear will exhibit the same dynamics as the overall apparel industry, recording a decline in retail volume sales, while current retail value is set to remain positive, primarily driven by inflation and rising unit…

Fresh ground coffee, which accounted for the vast majority of the coffee sales in Sweden, is projected to see a moderate increase in off-trade volume sales and a slight rise in on-trade volume sales over 2023. Nonetheless, retail demand rebounded…

Over 2023, retail volume sales of hot drinks are projected to grow moderately, following a strong drop in 2022. Coffee was especially negatively affected in 2022 due to unit price increases. As prices were more stable in 2023, demand rose. Retail…

Other hot drinks is considered an unexciting category, largely due to its unhealthy image. Chocolate-based flavoured powder drinks remained the only significant category in 2023. In contrast to tea and coffee, retail volume sales of other hot drinks…

Total volume sales of tea are projected to decline over 2023, although there is a significant shift from retail to foodservice as consumers resume pre-COVID-19 lifestyles. Black tea, the biggest category, is mature with relatively low new product…

Air treatment products stood out in the Swedish consumer appliances market in 2023 as the category registered a rise in volume sales despite a challenging economic climate, characterised by an increasing cost of living from higher interest rates and…

The consumer appliances market in Sweden saw volume sales fall in 2023, following higher demand during the COVID-19 crisis when consumer spending was much more focused on the domestic environment. While the decline in volume sales seen in 2023 was in…

The dishwashers category witnessed a fall in volume sales in 2023 as it saw some normalisation following the spike in demand witnessed as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, which encouraged consumers to focus spending on their homes and increased the…

Food preparation appliances experienced a strong decline in volume sales in 2023. After the COVID-19 crisis, households shifted their spending priorities away from food preparation appliances towards activities that had been largely curtailed by the…

Home laundry appliances saw a decrease in retail sales volumes in 2023, representing something of a return to normalised sales levels following the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, which brought forward volume sales in 2020 and 2021. However, the fall…

Consistent with observations across consumer appliances, sales volumes for large cooking appliances fell in 2023 as they normalised in the wake of a boost in demand during the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic led to a spike in sales in 2020 and 2021,…

Retail volume sales of microwaves fell in 2023. Sales volumes have retreated to more normalised levels following the highs induced by the COVID-19 crisis, which brought an increased focus on the domestic environment and a shift towards cooking at…

Retail volume sales of personal care appliances fell in the Swedish market in 2023. This decrease was reflective of a broader shift in household spending priorities. During the COVID-19 crisis, household spending focused on the home. However, as the…

Refrigeration appliances saw volume sales fall in 2023. The COVID-19 crisis brought forward demand and generated a spike in volume sales in 2020 and 2021 as consumers focused spending on their domestic environments, cooked more and became…

In 2023, sales volumes of small cooking appliances continued to fall, having seen a strong rise in demand in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic brought forward demand for small cooking appliances with volumes and, to some extent,…

Recycling, reducing food waste and reducing plastics are well-established green habits in Sweden, creating a solid opportunity to develop Zero Waste products. The Can Be Recycled claim would be welcomed by consumers, with over a quarter identifying…

In common with many areas of consumer appliances, vacuum cleaners registered a fall in volume sales in 2023 having experienced a notable increase in demand during the COVID-19 crisis. With consumers spending more time at home during the pandemic,…

Bottled water sales are projected to see only a marginal increment in off-trade volume terms over 2023, partly due to the shift back to foodservice, which exceeded its 2019 pre-pandemic volume sales level by 2022. However, growth rates have varied…