Taiwan

Sales slowed down in 2023, as many consumers spent more on eating out and travelling following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022. This saw consumers reducing budgets for goods, with greater expenditure on services and experiences. Due to…

The demand for sweet sauces has reverted to normal consumption patterns following the pandemic, driven further by consumers actively seeking lower sugar options. The overall market is now in a state of supply and demand equilibrium. The trend of…

Vacuum cleaners posted positive retail volume sales in 2023. However, growth was somewhat stunted by a shift from spending on goods to experiences and services. Following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, many consumers were keen to travel and…

Respect of the rule of law and a dynamic private sector have led to superior economic freedom for Taiwan. However, geopolitical tensions are negatively impacting both the political and economic landscapes. Inflation has been controlled well, but the…

In line with trends noted over the review period, air care continued to record positive retail value and volume growth in 2023, despite rising price points. Even though many consumers have travelled overseas following lifted restrictions, while…

While retail value sales were positive in 2023, these were driven by inflationary pressures and rising price points. As such, retail volume sales were challenged, recording a decline. Rising hygiene concerns during COVID-19 had contributed to…

Despite the threat of COVID-19 fading in 2023, dishwashing products integrating antibacterial features have continued gaining momentum among local consumers. More brands have incorporated the feature clearly on packaging while launching new…

Home care witnessed strong current retail value growth in 2023, driven by inflation and rising price points.

Over the review period, home insecticides registered slight positive retail volume growth, as stronger disinfectant products were used since spring 2020, when the pandemic emerged, removing more environments suitable for insect larvae, thereby…

Laundry care recorded positive retail value growth in 2023, driven by rising price points. Rising inflation and raw materials costs, alongside domestic and international shipping costs, resulted in higher costs across all laundry care products.…

Despite price rises in 2023, polishes continued to record a retail value decline, with retail volume sales falling in all areas. COVID-19 had no noticeable impact on the polishes landscape, with sales declining before the outbreak. The polishes…

Following growth driven by COVID-19, the major product areas in surface care continued to be bathroom cleaners, kitchen cleaners, drain openers and floor cleaners in 2023. As such, manufacturers and retailers have continued launching various formats…

Toilet care has shown positive retail growth in both retail value and volume terms in 2023, with the major contributing factors being inflationary pressure and rising price points. This explains the heightened retail value growth compared to retail…

The artisanal and premium offer has expanded in baked goods in Taiwan. Taiwanese consumers consumed packaged baked goods when eating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic period. This raised the demand for quality packaged backed goods in the country.…

Breakfast cereals in Taiwan was negatively affected by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. This resulted in the return to working outside the home, travel and on-the-go consumption. Hence, the occasions for having breakfast at home in Taiwan were…

Coffee is a daily ritual for most people in Taiwan, but especially office workers, with this benefiting cafés/bars. Convenience store cafés/bars play an important role in due to the wide coverage of these stores, which gives consumers easy access to…

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…

Consumer foodservice has witnessed a strong recovery since the second half of 2022 in Taiwan, with robust growth continuing into 2023, albeit at slower pace. Menu prices have increased since the pandemic due to higher inflation. Many foodservice…

Jhujian Catering Group is enjoying fast growth in full-service restaurants in Taiwan, due to the strong performance of its key brands Jhu Jian and Yakiniku Smile, which target younger generations. Many of their stores are in shopping areas frequented…

Within limited-service restaurants in Taiwan, McDonald's collaborated with the famous Japanese manga series Dragon Ball, featuring its illustrations on exclusive packaging, meals and trading cards for fans to collect. This iconic anime successfully…

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…

In 2023, the overall retail demand for processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat dropped in Taiwan as consumers resumed pre-COVID-19 pandemic lifestyles. The category had seen a surge in demand in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by…

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…

The Taiwanese are keen on eating all-you-can buffets, as the diverse range of options caters to a variety of personal choices, with this benefiting self-service cafeterias. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a strong desire for more social…

In 2023, staple foods in Taiwan was affected by the resumption of travel and eating out as key trends with the lifting of Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. Thus, demand shifted back from retail to foodservice as a result of less time spent at…

There was a major shift in street-stalls/kiosks in Taiwan at the end of the review period. After a three-year pandemic, the re-opening of the Taiwanese border in October 2022 led to a surge in tourism, which resulted in crowding at tourist spots,…

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…

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…

In 2023, convenience stores in Taiwan experienced expansion driven by various factors such as summer travels, festive seasons, typhoons, and back-to-school/work periods, all of which boosted demand for fresh food, coffee, packaged snacks, and…

Direct selling companies in Taiwan are undergoing a significant transformation as they adapt to the evolving retail landscape, with a notable trend being the embrace of digital transformation. Recognising the increasing prominence of e-commerce and…

Following two years of economic downturn, general merchandise stores in Taiwan experienced a remarkable resurgence 2023, witnessing double-digit growth in retail sales. Surpassing the convenience stores channel, general merchandise stores reclaimed…

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…

Amidst the backdrop of increased demand for home accessories and furniture during the pandemic, home products specialists in Taiwan witnessed a steady rise in retail sales in 2023. This growth was propelled by the surge in online sales, with homeware…

During 2023, retail value sales of hypermarkets recorded steady growth, aided by online sales and the expansion of delivery platforms. For example, following its acquisition by PX Mart in 2022, RT Mart underwent marketing integration to optimise…

As e-commerce in Taiwan matures, the dynamics of online shopping are undergoing significant shifts, presenting both challenges and opportunities for retailers. Despite experiencing growth in retail value sales in 2023, the pace of expansion has…

Retail in 2023 presented a mixed landscape in Taiwan, marked by economic challenges as the country grappled with a recession in the first quarter. This downturn was primarily attributed to a decline in exports and subdued global demand for…

Small local grocers in Taiwan recorded solid growth in value sales in 2023. The country boasts over 300 night markets, housing about 20,000 vendors and merchants, with a majority situated in towns and rural areas. These vibrant hubs represent the…

Supermarkets in Taiwan recorded steady value sales growth in 2023, a year marked by digitalisation efforts as well as an expansion in home delivery services. Uni-President officially acquired Carrefour's business in Taiwan on Nov 14, 2022. This…

In Taiwan, traditional vending machines are giving way to smart vending solutions, leveraging advanced technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and big data. These smart machines offer more than just snacks and…

Away-from-home (AFH) tissue and hygiene in Taiwan saw buoyant growth in current value terms in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. This was due to the return of consumers to their familiar pre-pandemic lifestyles, including more frequent…

Menstrual care in Taiwan saw a improved performance in current value terms in 2023. However, this was attributable to inflationary pressures, as rising raw material and supply chain costs, combined with a reduction in the number of promotional…

Nappies/diapers/pants in Taiwan registered another year of positive current value growth in 2023. However, this was mainly attributable to rising unit prices, rather than any real increase in demand. However, while overall volumes remained flat…

Retail adult incontinence in Taiwan saw buoyant growth in current value terms in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. This was attributable to a rapidly increasing ageing population, increasing levels of mobility, including domestic and…

Retail tissue in Taiwan saw a vastly improved performance in and current value terms in 2023. This trend was due to some extent to rising raw material and supply chain costs, which led to price increases across their category. Retailers and…

Retail sales of tissue and hygiene in Taiwan registered accelerated growth in current value terms in 2023, when compared to the previous year. Prevailing Inflationary pressures were a key contributor this trend, as rising raw material and supply…

Wipes in Taiwan saw a positive performance in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. The category remained dominated by personal wipes, notably general purpose wipes, which were second only to moist toilet wipes in terms of volume growth…

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,…

In 2023, bath and shower in Taiwan recorded positive retail value growth, while retail volume sales declined in unessential areas during rising inflation. This included bath additives and body powder. Due to their essential natural and frequent use,…

In 2023, the beauty and personal care market in Taiwan recorded solid retail value growth, driven by product innovations and rising consumer demand. Inflation was also a driver of retail value growth, remaining at 2% in Taiwan, leading the retail…

In 2023, colour cosmetics in Taiwan recorded positive retail value and volume growth, with lip products recording a standout performance. Following the lifting of facemask restrictions, consumers’ focus on makeup dramatically increased, with lipstick…