Taiwan

Store cards are not available in Taiwan. Hypermarket chain Carrefour was the last retailer to offer such cards and it ceased its operations in 2005. A trend towards alternative payment options such as digital wallets and the widespread popularity of…

Consumer demand for chocolate confectionery has stabilised in 2023, with consumption shifting from bulk purchases in supermarkets to impulse small packs in convenience stores. Overall, volume sales of chocolate confectionery are nearing pre-COVID…

Gum sales have been recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic since the third quarter of 2022. During this period, consumers started venturing out of their homes and returning to their normal daily activities. In December 2022, the Taiwanese government…

Ice cream is seeing a noticeable slowdown in retail volume and current value sales in 2023, with sales normalising in foodservice following a strong year in 2022. Although single-portion ice cream sold in convenience stores has experienced a full…

Similar to other snack categories, the demand for savoury snacks, especially chips and puffed biscuits, continued to grow in 2022 due to home seclusion. As the country emerged from the pandemic, consumption shifted from larger or multi-pack options…

In 2023, consumer lifestyles began to return to normality after the COVID-19 pandemic, with the prevalence of home snacking consumption decreasing. Regular outings and social occasions led to a shift back to impulse snacking when on-the-go. This was…

In 2023, medicated confectionery and mints are seeing a further recovery in retail volume sales, with current value sales moving closer to pre-pandemic levels. As the mask mandate was lifted inside and outside, consumers are increasingly returning to…

The trend towards consuming snacks at home is continuing post-pandemic, with sweet biscuits benefitting more than savoury crackers and potato chips. Taiwanese consumers have developed a stronger craving for sweetness and find comfort in sweet snacks,…

Retail volume sales of computers and peripherals registered a dramatic slump in 2023, in contrast to the positive performances of the previous two years. Households were reluctant to spend their hard-earned money on discretionary purchases, as fears…

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…

Retail volume sales of headphones continued to decline in 2023, despite the increasingly important role they play in consumers’ lives. In addition to providing a high-quality audio experience for music and other forms of entertainment, they can also…

Home audio and cinema continued to decline in retail volume and current value terms in 2023, a course that looks set to persist into the forecast period. Products such as hi-fi systems are seen as unnecessary for most Taiwanese, and increasingly…

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…

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…

In-car entertainment continued its downward spiral in 2023, a trend that is set to continue throughout the entire forecast period. In-car navigation saw the most significant decline in sales in retail volume terms, largely due to the deepening…

Retail volume sales of mobile phones continued to decline in 2023. Households were reluctant to spend their hard-earned money on discretionary purchases, as fears over inflation and interest rate rises took their toll on consumer confidence.…

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”…

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…

The volume of people travelling by air more than doubled in 2023, supported by the relaxation of border control measures, both within Taiwan and neighbouring Asian countries. With air travel having been off-limits during the pandemic, there was a…

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,…

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…

Following the lifting of all COVID-19-related entry restrictions in October 2022, the volume of inbound arrivals to Taiwan in 2023 dramatically increased. The government also resumed visa-free travel for citizens of major countries within Europe,…

The travel industry in Taiwan continued on its road to recovery in 2023, with the volume of inbound arrivals having recorded high triple-digit growth over the previous year. Following the lifting of all COVID-19-related entry restrictions in October…

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…

In March 2022, as pandemic restrictions gradually eased, a coexistence with the virus emerged. Consequently, the number of confirmed cases began to peak, reaching new daily highs. During the initial two quarters of 2022, most consumers stayed home to…

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.

2023 marks a significant change in consumer behaviour and preferences within dairy products and alternatives, driven by the gradual easing of the pandemic's impact and evolving lifestyle changes. As consumers regain confidence and return to their…

During the first half of 2022, the high number of confirmed COVID-19 cases led to a significant portion of the population being under home isolation. This resulted in heightened demand for larger-sized drinking milk products, as well as shelf-stable…

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…

In the first half of 2022, due to the surge in confirmed cases and a high number of people under home quarantine, there was a significant increase in demand for large-sized soy milk products and plant-based milk products that can be stored at room…

Similar to drinking milk products, the demand for yoghurt and drinking yoghurt ceased to grow starting from the second half of 2022, mainly due to the easing impact of the pandemic. As consumers regained confidence in going out and dining outside,…

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…

Value sales of fine wines/champagne and spirits grew by 7% to total TWD20.8 billion in 2023, as a result of a consumer desire to have fun and enjoy experiences after the pandemic. Enjoying a drink with friends remains a priority leisure activity,…

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…

Personal luxury retail value sales rose by 8% in 2023, to total TWD281.3 billion, supporting growth for leading brand providers such as Kering SA and Richemont Asia Pacific Ltd. 2023 sales growth was fuelled by individuals deciding to invest in…

Value sales of premium and luxury cars went up by 8% to total TWD194.5 billion in 2023, due to increased demand from high-income consumers, who proved to be steadfast in their purchases despite macroeconomic headwinds. Demand for premium and luxury…

The topical analgesics/anaesthetic category is poised to record the fastest growth in volume and current value terms within analgesics in 2023, and looks set to show improved results in both respects as compared to 2022. These types of products…

Consumer health in Taiwan has performed positively on the whole in 2023, with growth in total current value sales remaining robust and most categories either expanding in volume terms or contracting at a slower pace than in 2022. The easing of the…

In line with rising health-consciousness, people in Taiwan are becoming more worried about the potentially hazardous side effects and contraindications of active pharmaceutical ingredients in standard OTC medications. This has continued to buoy…

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…

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…

Consumption of digestive remedies in Taiwan has picked up in 2023, with most categories set to register stronger volume growth or lower rates of decline than in 2022. This is mainly explained by the easing of the pandemic, in that people have become…

Eye care is poised to register a modestly improved performance in volume growth terms in 2023. It continues to benefit from the fact that the incidence of digital eye strain is on the rise in Taiwan due to the increasing amount of time people spend…

Herbal/traditional products has continued to post robust growth in total current value sales in 2023, while all categories look set to record improved results in volume terms as compared to 2022. Buoyant demand is mainly explained by rising…

In keeping with the negative trajectory observed throughout the review period, NRT smoking cessation aids is set to contract in volume and current value terms in 2023. Demand continues to be undermined by the fact that the rate of smoking prevalence…

Paediatric consumer health remains underdeveloped in Taiwan, with just two categories – paediatric vitamins and dietary supplements and paediatric cough/cold remedies – registering measurable sales during the review period. This is mainly because…

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…

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…

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…

Volume growth rates for all weight management and wellbeing categories in 2023 are set to surpass those recorded in 2022. The uptick is partly explained by the fact that many consumers in Taiwan gained weight during the recent period of lockdowns and…