Asia Pacific

In 2023, total packaging unit volumes for baby food recorded solid growth. Folding cartons and flexible plastic, the leading pack types for baby food, both registered rising packaging unit volumes in this year, with folding cartons outperforming…

Sales of tobacco in Japan remained fairy stable in retail current value terms in 2023. The Japanese government reclassified COVID-19 in May 2023, moving it from a level two to level five infectious disease. The new level is the same class as seasonal…

Tobacco in China saw a fairly stable performance in 2023, with volume sales increasing marginally across all categories except e-vapour products. Cigarettes continued to see slow increases in both retail volume and current value sales, driven by…

In 2023, e-vapour products in China witnessed an exceptional decline in retail current value sales, marking the lowest level of sales since 2014. This was due to the enforcement of “requirements of the Measures for the Administration of E-cigarettes”…

Heated tobacco in Japan continued to see double-digit growth in retail volume terms in 2023. Heated tobacco is regarded by consumers as a relatively lower harm option compared with cigarettes, and the weaker smell of these products compared with…

Following an exceptional decline in 2022, which saw volume sales fall by half from 2021, cigarillos saw another significant drop in sales in 2023. Compared with 2020, which was the peak of volume sales, sales in 2023 were close to a quarter.

Compared with cigarettes, cigars is still a niche category in China, with a relatively low penetration rate. This is primarily because the compact and convenient nature of cigarettes aligns better with consumers’ busy lifestyles and work rhythms.…

Cigarettes in Japan continued to decline in retail volume terms in 2023, marking the 11th consecutive year of decline. Cigarettes is still the largest tobacco category in Japan, accounting for over half of value sales; however, the decreasing…

In 2023, retail volume sales of cigarettes in China maintained negligible growth. Cigarettes in China is strictly regulated by The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA). In recent years, cigarette production remained relatively stable. With…

In 2023, homewares in South Korea maintained a current value decline, although this was mainly due to normalisation after a peak in sales during the pandemic in 2020, and sales remained far above the pre-pandemic level. Dinnerware continued to see…

Homewares in Japan experienced current value growth in 2023, mainly due to increased home cooking due to remote and hybrid work patterns. In addition, with economic concerns, more individuals cooked at home to save money. The demand for functional…

Homewares in India maintained current value growth in 2023, although this was lower than seen in the previous two years, as sales had already recovered from the 2020 decline. Nevertheless, kitchenware continued to witness a surge in demand,…

Home improvement in South Korea maintained dynamic current value growth in 2023, with a double-digit increase, maintaining the trend seen for the previous two years. Bathroom and sanitaryware maintained strong growth in home improvement in 2023, due…

After a peak in sales in 2020 during the pandemic, home improvement in Japan turned to decline as sales normalised, with a slight fall in current value sales continuing in 2023; however, sales remained above the pre-pandemic level. Due to the shift…

Home improvement in India has been experiencing a surge in growth, and solid but slower current value growth continued in 2023, buoyed by several key factors. Reductions in raw materials costs contributed to increased affordability, making home…

Home furnishings in Korea saw another year of current value decline in 2023, although this was slower than in the previous year. However, not all categories saw a declining trend; for instance, barbecues witnessed solid value growth in 2023. This was…

Home furnishings in Japan saw another year of minor current value decline in 2023. However, not all categories suffered a declining trend. For instance, there was a steady increase in the value growth rate of barbecues in Japan in 2023. This is…

Home furnishings in India maintained solid, although slower, current value growth in 2023. One factor driving growth was the popularity of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps, with sales driven by increasing consumer awareness of the energy efficiency…

In 2023, home and garden in South Korea saw low current value growth, but faced mixed performances across various categories, influenced by the broader economic landscape and shifting consumer preferences. Real GDP growth slowed in 2023, impacting…

Overall home and garden in Japan saw a slight decline in current value terms in 2023, due to an increase in inflation, which dissuaded some consumers from purchasing such products. However, some categories continued to grow, as consumer confidence in…