Africa

Drinking milk products in Algeria is facing slower retail volume growth in 2023 than previous years. This is attributed to the maturity of drinking milk coupled with the ongoing economic hardship faced by Algerian consumers. Some small dairies that…

Packaged fresh milk remains a niche product in Cameroon for several reasons. One of the primary factors is the absence of a dairy processing plant, despite the country’s annual production of over 270,000 tonnes of fresh cow milk. It is important to…

Drinking milk products is witnessing growth in both current retail value and volume, despite the huge increase in prices that were seen during the first quarter of 2023. This increase results from rising global prices of milk products, with the…

Drinking milk is expected to register double-digit current value growth, but minimal volume growth. Price rises have been significant, largely due to low milk production caused by drought conditions. In addition, a near ban on imports from Uganda has…

Due to the impact of adverse climatic conditions and the escalating cost of raw materials used in animal feed on the Moroccan dairy sector, struggling breeders were forced to cull dairy cows to offset losses and ensure survival. This led to a…

Volume sales for drinking milk products decrease notably in 2023, albeit at a considerably slower rate than experienced in 2022 when the decline was much more pronounced. Nevertheless, the prevailing inflationary conditions continue to impact demand…

As the prices of food have been soaring, retailers are focused on bringing consumers the lowest prices possible for essential products such as drinking milk products. This means that farmers and producers do not really have much room to increase…

Semi skimmed shelf stable milk experienced a significant decline in volume of 30% in 2022, largely due to the shortage of milk production by farmers and financial challenges. This decline has significantly impacted the Tunisian dairy sector, with…

Edible oils are a staple in Algerian cooking and in 2023 they are expected to register moderate constant value and volume growth. Population growth continues to sustain volume growth, but with inflation still being high, there is a degree of trading…

With significant price pressures on palm oil, the government agreed an official price with industry stakeholders in 2022, of FCFA1,500 per litre, though there has had to be a degree of rationing. Discussion are still ongoing regarding Cameroon’s…

The headline in edible oils in 2023 is the huge increase in unit prices, leading to astounding value growth. However, on the other hand, this means many consumers cannot afford such oils, and volume is crashing in turn. There are a number of factors…

In 2023, edible oil prices have remained persistently high, continuing the trend from the significant increase experienced in 2022. Unfortunately, there is little respite in sight, primarily due to the Kenyan government's imposition of a 25% import…

There was a poor olive oil harvest in Morocco, in 2022 due mainly to water shortages during winter (January-March). This resulted in reduced flowering and affected the harvest. Moreover, Morocco witnessed the blow of hot arid winds (Chergui) from the…

Edible oils declined in volume terms in 2023, following only weak volume growth in 2022. Inflationary conditions that had been strong in 2022 worsened in 2023 due to the continuing depreciation of the local currency, a government policy of…

Both retail volume and current value sales of edible oils are set to see strong declines in 2023. After two years of exceptionally strong growth, the average unit prices of vegetable and seed oils have started to normalise over 2023, with prices…

Despite the government’s efforts, subsidised edible oil continues to experience shortages in several regions in Tunisia, which is impacting lower income consumers as they are more likely to buy subsidised oil. The significance of the Ministry of…

The dominant surge in 2023 egg sales came from free-range eggs, driven by their perceived health benefits over regular options. Moroccan consumers, seeking both affordability and health benefits, gravitated towards organic eggs, priced at a mere…

Rising input costs such as the cost of animal feed and installing a more stable electricity supply has resulted in price hikes for eggs. The cost of feed, fuel and electricity usually accounts for 75% of input costs for producers. Grain shortages due…

Although its volume sales are relatively low, energy drinks continues to significantly outperform other soft drinks. While this is partly because consumption is growing from a lower base, it is also benefitting from people leading busy lifestyles,…

Energy drinks is expected to register healthy volume growth in 2023, though from a low base. The demand for energy drinks as a booster to physical and cognitive performance is driving the growth of energy drinks. Energy drinks are particularly…

Awareness of energy drinks has traditionally been very low in Egypt with consumption mostly limited to affluent consumers who can afford products like Red Bull, Power Horse, Hype, and other premium brands. However, the launch of Sting from Rockstar…

Energy drinks in Kenya recorded a modest slowdown in off-trade volume sales growth in 2023. This was partly the result of encroaching maturity, but also attributable to price hikes and falling purchasing power amidst persistently high inflation.…

Due to urbanisation and the rising number of consumers aged 18-24 in Morocco, sales of energy drinks recorded dynamic growth in 2023. Ongoing urbanisation stimulates sales since these products are mainly available and consumed in bigger cities.…

The year 2023 witnessed a wave of new launches in energy drinks. Cway Food & Beverages Co Nig introduced Boxi Energy Drink, positioned as a health-conscious energy beverage, devoid of caffeine and other potentially unhealthy stimulants. Available in…

Switch Energy has introduced three new flavours to its range as limited editions. In 2023, the brand offered 37 different flavours compared to Monster Energy’s 18 flavours, and Dragon’s 17 flavours. Interest in Switch Energy peaked when it introduced…

Off-Trade energy drinks experienced a period of stagnation in Tunisia in 2023, in terms of volume sales growth, compared to previous years. This slowdown can be attributed to various factors, including price hikes and inflation. The decrease in…

Tourism levels in South Africa showed signs of recovery in 2023, despite the macroeconomic backdrop of high inflation and rising food and fuel costs triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine. This represents an improvement on 2021 and 2022, when…

Egypt has a hot and dry climate, and this causes many consumers to suffer from dry eye. Additionally, an increasing population uses screens while working in an air-conditioned environment, which can further exacerbate dry eye symptoms.

Eye care has continued to expand at a healthy pace in 2023, with volume and current value growth rates expected to be well up on 2022. This is primarily due to buoyant demand in standard eye care, which is by far the largest of the two main…

Overcrowding and poor hygiene standards in certain areas of the country have increased the prevalence of cataracts, glaucoma and trachoma, a potentially blinding eye disease caused by bacterial infection. This has led to an increase in demand for OTC…

During 2023, more consumers suffered from eye health issues due to much more time spent using technology, such as computers and laptops. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, children were unable to go to school or workers to their workplace and…

Demand for eyewear in South Africa continues to rise, despite the rising cost of living. Many local consumers are struggling financially and are prioritising certain goods over others. Additionally, South Africans are becoming more strategic in terms…

Financial cards and payments in Egypt has seen a remarkable year in 2023, characterised by a notable shift from cash to card usage, larger transaction amounts, and a surge in new account openings. Government initiatives to boost financial inclusion…

Morocco’s commitment and investments in financial inclusion are paying off, with the nation having recorded double-digit growth in account ownership since 2017; this makes Morocco one of only four countries worldwide to achieve this. According to the…

Nigeria continues to be a cash economy, though debit cards in particular are growing in popularity. Also, in 2023, this growth was further amplified, due to a cash shortage, as there was insufficient supply of the newly designed naira. As a result,…

The number of financial cards in circulation is set to continue to increase in 2023, supported by a steady rise in the banked population and the intensified competition between issuers. Meanwhile, value transactions across categories such as debit…

Value sales of fine wines/Champagne and spirits is set to grow by 13% to total ZAR2.0 billion in 2023. This strong growth is partly the result of a consumer desire to indulge and enjoy themselves now that the pandemic is over. Socialising (at home as…

Fish and seafood in Morocco experienced notable growth, primarily led by fish, particularly pelagic types such as sardines, mackerel, and anchovies. These varieties significantly contributed to the product area's overall sales, with pelagic fish…

South Africans are feeling the financial pressure as the impact of high inflation and rising interest rates in 2023 have resulted in a household debt-to-income ratio, increasing from 61.6% to 62.1%. With rising fuel prices, the cost of going out to…

Food preparation appliances saw retail volume growth slow in 2023. Average unit prices continued to rise amid repeated currency devaluations and higher inflation. In contrast to large cooking appliances, which are mainly dominated by local players,…

In 2023, small food preparation appliances like blenders and food processors continue to be top sellers in Morocco. The affordability and value these appliances offer makes them an attractive choice for many Moroccan households, particularly blenders…

Food preparation appliances faced significant challenges in 2023, predominantly influenced by adverse economic conditions in Nigeria. High inflation rates, a devalued local currency, and surges in fuel prices collectively constrained consumer…

The consistent increase in the general cost of living in South Africa is pushing consumers to review how they spend their money. One way to achieve this is to prepare meals at home which would otherwise be purchased from retailers, or foodservice…

Footwear is witnessing volume sales decline in 2023, due to substantial price increases. As in apparel, footwear has been challenged with rising costs of raw materials like leather. The devaluation of the Egyptian pound and the war in Ukraine has…

The surge in sports participation among various age groups and genders in Morocco has notably impacted footwear sales in 2023. With an increased focus on health and wellness, evidenced by the rise in gyms, walking tracks, and outdoor fitness…

Sales of footwear in Nigeria recorded a steep decline in retail volume terms in 2023, following the general pattern being seen across the apparel industry. This decline was due to the challenging economic conditions in the country with soaring…

Many South Africans continue to struggle financially in 2023 due to the cost-of-living crisis, where high levels of inflation are impacting the cost of food, fuel and even mortgage and rent payments. Therefore, price-sensitive consumers are reducing…

Fragrances saw growth in total volume and current value sales slow in 2023, with all categories recording poorer results than in 2022. The downturn was mainly attributable to stubbornly high inflation, which continued to place upward pressure on unit…

Despite inflationary trends, fragrances in Cameroon experienced growth in 2023. The import volume of fragrances and eau de parfum has shown a consistent upward trajectory over the review period, reaching 236,366 tons in 2022 from 219,779 tons in…

Fragrances registered strong current value growth in Egypt in 2023, while sales volumes fell due to the huge increases in prices seen towards the end of the review period. These huge price increases occurred for several reasons. Most fragrances are…