Uruguay

2023 saw bath and shower register significant declines in volume sales and the main factor underpinning this trend is the huge gap that exists in prices between retail outlets in Uruguay and neighbouring Argentina, where the prices charged for a wide…

Other hot drinks recorded a sluggish performance in 2023, driven by the decline in other plant-based hot drinks (yerba maté), which make up the majority of other hot drink sales in Uruguay. The drought in Uruguay impacted the running water. Since it…

Tissue and hygiene sales in Uruguay were dampened by the growing issue of small-scale smuggling from Argentina. Swathes of consumers have been crossing into Argentina to buy cheaper goods. The gap between the official exchange rate and the informal…

Retail adult incontinence in Uruguay was subject to an increase in small-scale smuggling, but to a much lesser extent than other tissue and hygiene categories. Typically, the most smuggled products are those sold in a relatively small and…

Retail volume of sales of nappies/diapers/pants in Uruguay fell considerably in 2023, due to the ongoing decline in the country’s birth rate. In addition, small-scale smuggling from Argentina also impacted local retailers’ sales, although the impact…

Vitamins are expected to register a further significant decline in volume sales in 2023. The boon from the pandemic is long over and vitamins that claim immune boosting benefits are seeing a significant decline. Vitamin C in particular is expected to…

Ice cream continued to register positive volume growth in 2022, with another sales increase expected to be seen in 2023. With a number of heatwaves and a hotter summer than usual, the demand for ice cream increased considerably in the summer months…

Inflation and ongoing price increases significantly impacted the retail industry in 2022. High price rises led to changing consumer behaviours, with a drop in demand as many were looking to delay significant purchases, reducing and adapting their…

In 2023, staple foods has registered a marginal decrease in retail volume terms as consumers reduce consumption in order to save money. High prices remain an issue for Uruguayans and this is impacting negatively on demand. Furthermore, the…

In 2023, sales of breakfast cereals declined in retail volume and current value terms. The increase in prices, as well as the required health labels, warning about excess levels of sugar, has reduced demand for breakfast cereals. Children´s breakfast…

Pressure on households budgets is driving many Uruguayans to cross the border into Argentina and buy edible oils, alongside other grocery items, at a cheaper price. According to industry sources, edible oil retail prices are up to 70% cheaper in…

Chilled and shelf stable dairy desserts registered a decrease in retail volume terms in 2022, but a modest rebound is expected in 2023. During the second half of 2022, the second leading player Cooperativa Nacional de Productores de Leche (Conaprole)…

After seeing a major decline in 2020, when the pandemic first arrived in Uruguay, followed by a further fall in sales in 2021, gum registered a rebound in volume and value terms in 2022, with positive growth also expected for 2023, although sales…

Premium beauty and personal care registered another very strong sales performance during 2023, the fourth-year during which double-digit current value growth was registered in the category as demand continued to rise steadily. In particular, sales…

Packaged leavened bread registered a further contraction in retail volume sales in 2023, as strong price increases were brought about by rising costs. Demand has also been curbed by the many Uruguayans crossing the border into Argentina in order to…

2023 saw volume sales contract across numerous key categories of mass beauty and personal care, including mass deodorants, mass hair care and mass bath and shower. These three categories all suffered significant drops in demand during the year as…

Per capita cheese consumption in Uruguay is among the highest in Latin America and the world, due to its long tradition of cheese production. After a soft contraction in 2022, retail volume sales is expected to achieve positive growth in 2023.…

The volume sales of cigars and cigarillos continued to grow in 2023. However, the category’s performance could have been even better if the price gap with Argentina had not been as large. The latter forced people to buy these products at the other…

2023 saw Uruguay’s beauty and personal care industry face declining volume sales as cross-border shopping and the informal trade in parallel imports and contraband smuggled in from Argentina continues to erode demand for products distributed through…

Wound care is expected to register moderate constant value and some volume growth in 2023. Wound care continues to recover from the removal of pandemic restrictions. With people out and about once again, and participating in physical actives, there…