Taiwan

As is the case across consumer health in Taiwan, herbal/traditional varieties have continued to gain popularity in dermatologicals in 2023 amidst rising awareness of the potentially harmful side effects and contraindications of active pharmaceutical…

Retail sales of bookings continued to grow strongly in constant value terms in 2023. This trend was driven primarily by leisure travel, due to the release of pent-up consumer demand. Japan was the most popular destination for Taiwanese consumers,…

Wireless speakers continued to drive growth in portable players in 2023, being the only product area to have recorded a positive increase in sales in retail volume terms. Compact, portable and affordable, as well as being compatible with “on-the-go”…

In 2023, baby and child-specific products in Taiwan recorded positive retail value growth, while retail volume declined. The country suffers from a low birth rate, breaking new historical records of the lowest newborn babies in 2023. Consequently,…

Contact lenses and solutions continue to recover from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2024. Despite some government intervention in 2022, retail volume and current value sales still remain lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The…

In 2023, Taiwan's premium beauty and personal care recorded positive retail growth, above mass market goods. Trends in premium sales were aligned to mass market trends, with growth strongest in premium colour cosmetics and fragrances. Much of this…

After two years of decline, health and beauty specialists in Taiwan experienced a significant resurgence in 2022, a trend that continued into 2023. With the easing of pandemic restrictions and the removal of mask mandates, consumers eagerly returned…

In 2023, the retail sales of apparel specialist retailers in Taiwan bounced back significantly. Following a double-digit growth rate in 2022, which surpassed the modest growth recorded in 2021, several major international brands displayed remarkable…

There has been a noted revival of classic watches in Taiwan, with a renewed appreciation for traditional, mechanical watches. This is aiding sales of quartz analogue devices, with mid and high quartz analogue watches recording positive retail volume…

Off-trade volume growth for sports drinks in 2023 was up markedly on that recorded in 2022. This improvement was partly explained by the success of reduced sugar and sugar-free options introduced towards the end of the review period, which have…

Following consistent declines earlier in the review period, RTD coffee recorded modest growth in off-trade volume sales in 2023. This turnaround was partly explained by the increased incidence of impulse purchases and on-the-go consumption occasions…

100% juice was the most dynamic of the main juice categories in Taiwan in off-trade volume growth terms in 2023. This was primarily due to the increasing preference for healthier soft drinks among consumers, as such products are perceived to be…

Total volume sales growth for womenswear in Taiwan in 2023 is expected to be down slightly on the previous year. This is partly explained by the normalisation of consumption patterns following the impressive rebound that accompanied the easing of the…

Debit card transactions experienced a noticeable decline in transaction value in 2022, a trend that commenced during the pandemic in 2021. This decline was primarily attributed to the increased prevalence of digital wallet transactions and the…

While wound care is poised to record a static performance in total volume sales terms in 2023, this will be an improvement from the declines witnessed over 2021-2022. Stockpiles accumulated by Taiwanese households during the early stages of the…

Wearable electronics continued to see a healthy performance in retail volume terms in 2023, supported by increased purchases of activity watches and smart wearables. Prevailing health and wellness trends and the high levels of convenience and…

Retail volume sales of imaging devices suffered a further decline in 2023, continuing the trend of the review period. This was due to the waning fortunes of digital cameras, which were severely challenged by continuous advancements in smartphone…

According to government data, the import of cigars and cigarillos during 2019 to 2023 increased significantly with 184% growth in volume. The growth of year-to-year got eased in 2023 as the traveling resumed since the fourth quarter 2022.…

Most Taiwanese office workers eat out for lunch during the weekdays, with this shaping sales of consumer foodservice by location. In the north, most office workers either eat out in restaurants, get takeaway or order food on delivery for dinner as…

The post-pandemic era in 2023 has ushered in changes in consumption and dining habits, marked by a greater emphasis on the quality and unique presentation of dishes when dining out. The trend of ordering delivery has continued to gain traction.…

Growth in off-trade volume sales of RTD tea in 2023 was up slightly on 2022. This was largely due to the easing of the pandemic and the ending of related restrictions in Taiwan, with impulse purchases and on-the-go consumption increasing as more…

While liquid concentrates posted marginal growth in off-trade volume sales in 2023, this was an improvement on the decline recorded in 2022. This was partly explained by the normalisation of consumption patterns, in that the contraction the previous…

Much like butter and cheese, the volume demand for other dairy products also experienced a decline starting from the second half of 2022. As people grew more comfortable with dining out, the demand for cooking and baking ingredients decreased…

Hotels in Taiwan continued to bounce back in 2023, although the number of room nights remained below pre-pandemic levels. The sector suffered during the pandemic, due to mobility restrictions, with resulted in some hotels closing, or becoming…

The 2023 trend of revenge travel and increased dining out after the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a decline in the demand for meals and soups in off-trade channels, as Taiwanese consumers prefer to spend more time travelling and dining out. With less…

Soft drinks in Taiwan showed a solid performance in 2023, with growth in total volume sales equalling that recorded in 2022. Overall demand remained buoyant as diminishing fear of COVID-19 and the ending of associated restrictions saw more people to…

At the close of 2022, Taiwan witnessed a significant reshuffle in its credit card issuance landscape. The top five credit card issuers, ranked by the number of active cards, were Cathay United Bank with 5.77 million, CITIC Bank with 5.34 million, E…

Volume sales of vitamins in Taiwan have continued to increase steadily in 2023, with all categories set to post better results in this respect than they did in 2022. Rising demand reflects the growing willingness of local consumers to take preventive…

Sports nutrition has performed positively in 2023, with growth in total current value sales expected to be up slightly on 2022 and all categories set to show improved results in volume terms. Expansion continues to be underpinned by increasing…

Overall volume sales of dietary supplements in Taiwan have picked up in 2023, with most categories set to show improved results in this regard as compared to 2022. As with vitamins, demand has been buoyed by the growing adoption of more holistic and…

Retail value sales of luxury goods in Taiwan grew by 9% in 2023 in current terms to amount to TWD502.9 billion. Development was still widely defined by a return to more normal consumer behaviour in terms of working, shopping, and spending on luxury…

Taiwan's birth rate continued to decline in 2022, reaching a historic low point. One of the main reasons for the decline was the impact of the pandemic, as many couples postponed their weddings, resulting in a continuous decrease in the married…

Retail volume sales of home video, which is dominated by LCD TVs, saw a decline in 2023, in contrast to the modest growth seen in the previous year. Households were reluctant to spend their hard-earned money on higher-priced consumer electronics, as…

Traditional toys and games in Taiwan registered modest retail current value growth in 2023, the market’s first full year without COVID-19 restrictions as the national border reopened near the end of 2022. Many consumers resumed travel and out-of-home…

Appliances and electronics specialists in Taiwan witnessed a fluctuating trajectory in 2023, shaped significantly by seasonal sales trends. While the pandemic-induced surge in demand for remote working and online schooling propelled sales of personal…

Rice, pasta and noodles in Taiwan aligned with the trends influenced by the resumption of out-of-home lifestyles in 2023. As consumers returned to the office and travel and social norms they were more likely to dine out. As in other categories of…

Carbonates in smaller pack sizes of 200-350ml gained ground in off- and on-trade channels in Taiwan in 2023. This was partly due to rising health-consciousness among the population, in that concerns about the sugar content of these soft drinks led…

Insights and data on the traditional automotive sector and the mobility industry can help businesses examine how changing travel patterns will impact future consumer behaviour. Growing climate pressures and rising urbanisation rates are pushing…

While growth remains modest, sleep aids is set to record an improved result in volume sales terms in 2023. The easing of the pandemic has helped to lift demand, in that many people have started to experience insomnia and other types of sleep problems…

In 2023, mass beauty and personal care products in Taiwan recorded positive retail value growth, with lip and foundation products being best sellers. Following the removal of COVID-19 masks, consumers have been investing in lip products again,…

Consumer demand has been shifting from manufactured goods back towards services. As a result, value sales of experiential luxury increased by 36% to amount to TWD6.3 billion in 2023, boosted by wealthier individuals resuming normal activity, such as…

Similar to butter, the demand for cheese began to wane in the latter half of 2022. Consumers reverted to their habits of dining out, leading to a decreased inclination to cook and bake at home.

Retail volume sales of consumer electronics continued to fall in 2023, with the rate of decline accelerating compared to the previous year. This was mainly the result of a slump in demand for computer and peripherals, although almost all other…

Processed fruit and vegetables in Taiwan was impacted by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the subsequent rebound in travel and eating out. This shifted the location of demand as consumers resumed out-of-home lifestyles. Consumers were eager…

Energy drinks showed another positive performance in 2023, with growth in off- and on-trade volume sales remaining robust. As the pace of life in Taiwan accelerated in line with the return to pre-pandemic routines, overall demand was buoyed by…

The increasing tendency of Taiwanese consumers to favour healthier soft drinks ensured bottled water recorded another solid performance in off-trade volume growth terms in 2023. Carbonated bottled water was the most dynamic of the main categories in…

In keeping with the pattern witnessed over the latter part of the review period, sheer hosiery in Taiwan is set to contract in volume terms in 2023. Falling demand is partly explained by changing fashion preferences, with many younger women inclined…

Overall volume and current value growth rates for childrenswear in 2023 are set to be more modest than those recorded by womenswear and menswear, primarily because birth rates in Taiwan are in long-term decline. This demographic trend has resulted in…

The government's relaxation of control measures on digital banks has paved the way for a broadened range of financial services offered by pure digital banks. Although the impact on traditional banks and digital wallet operators remains relatively…

Despite being historically less popular in Taiwan due to limited merchant acceptance compared to VISA, MasterCard, and JCB, American Express (AMEX) is making significant strides in the market. The key to its success lies in the exclusive benefits and…