Asia Pacific

After a year of significant decline in 2022 due to pandemic restrictions, in 2023 apparel and footwear specialists continued to see a slight fall in current value sales in China, despite the lifting of restrictions. With the end of the pandemic,…

In 2023, sales of consumer appliances and consumer electronics saw solid growth in China, thanks to the end of the pandemic, and the “Old for new”, and “Subsidies for green and energy-saving household appliances” policies. However, despite this, and…

In the wake of inflationary pressures, there has been a surprising reluctance amongst individuals to engage in activities outside the home, including dining out, which contributed to lower than expected growth in consumer foodservice in 2023. This…

Total volume sales of baked goods are expected to rise in Hong Kong in 2023, driven by foodservice. Since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in late 2022, many consumers in Hong Kong have returned to their normal work-from-office routine. This has…

Breakfast cereals is set to see growth in retail current value terms in Hong Kong in 2023, although retail volume sales are anticipated to remain fairly static. The resumption of office working has been leading to a shift in consumer demand from hot…

Even after seeing strong performances throughout the pandemic years, convenience retailers maintained its growth momentum in current value terms in China in 2023, with growth in outlet numbers also continuing. Even as the pandemic eased, consumers…

Several years of current value decline were seen in direct selling in China during the pandemic, as the direct selling business model relies heavily on hosting meetings or gatherings to introduce products and recruit new sales personnel, which was…

Robust growth momentum was seen for discounters in China in 2023, with increases in both current value terms and in outlet numbers. This was driven by increasing economic uncertainty in the country, which led more Chinese consumers to seek products…

After seeing a notable decline in value sales in 2022 during the waves of COVID-19 across the country, when many consumers lost confidence in spending on non-essential durable goods, general merchandise stores saw a moderate rebound in its sales in…

In 2023, overall health and beauty specialists saw a steady increase in current value terms and in terms of outlet numbers compared with 2022 in China. Positive current value growth was achieved across all channels, including pharmacies, despite the…

The sales of home products specialists were hit hard in China during the different waves of the pandemic, especially in 2020 and 2022, as consumers tightened their belts when it came to non-essential products, foot traffic reduced in stores, some…

Despite seeing a halt to the decline in outlet numbers in 2023, hypermarkets continued its long-standing decline in retail current value terms in China in 2023. One driver of the fall in sales is that the channel is under intense competition from…

While overall volume sales in menstrual care in South Korea may have shown a slight dip in 2023, a dynamic transformation is quietly unfolding. Closer examination reveals a notable surge in the demand for alternative products such as tampons,…

In the face of persistent declines in the birth rate, companies within nappies/diapers/pants in South Korea are confronted with unique challenges. To counteract these demographic hurdles, businesses are strategically leveraging the premiumisation…

In 2023, processed fruit and vegetables in Hong Kong is set to experience a slight current value decline, along with a stronger retail volume decline. This can be attributed to reduced demand for at-home consumption, primarily driven by the return to…

In 2023, total volume demand for processed meat, seafood, and alternatives to meat is set to experience solid growth in Hong Kong, primarily driven by the strong rebound in the foodservice channel, thanks to the return of foot traffic and tourism…

In 2023, retail adult incontinence in South Korea saw another year of significant volume and current value growth, primarily propelled by the nation’s rapidly ageing population. As South Korea stands amongst the fastest ageing societies globally, the…

Robust growth continued for retail e-commerce in China in 2023, although the rate of current value increase was slower than seen in previous years. Retail sales were driven by strong performances for drinks and tobacco e-commerce, and for home…

Retail in China maintained current value growth in 2023. In early December 2022, the Chinese government announced “New Ten Measures” to optimise COVID-19 prevention, and it cancelled the zero-COVID policy. The whole country saw an end to…

In the aftermath of COVID-19, retail tissue in South Korea was initially poised for decline, along with the return to activities outside the home; however, the category demonstrated resilience in 2023. Contrary to expectations, retail tissue recorded…