Asia Pacific

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…

Although seeing a slowing of its growth rate compared with the previous year, convenience retailers maintained solid current value growth in Hong Kong in 2023. Convenience stores remained overwhelmingly dominant within convenience retailers in 2023,…

Convenience retailers returned to current value growth in India in 2023. This is a relatively small channel with low penetration in the country, with outlets predominantly located in tier 1 and tier 2 cities. There are just a few major players in the…

Convenience retailers saw current value growth in Indonesia in 2023. Urbanisation is a key factor influencing the growth of convenience stores in the country. Many people move to big cities in search of work or education, and they need places to shop…

On 8 May 2023, the Japanese government announced that it would reclassify COVID-19 as a class 5 infectious disease, which is the same classification as seasonal flu. This shift pushed consumers in Japan to go back to their pre-COVID-19 behaviours,…

Social distancing measures remained in effect in Malaysia in 2021, with consumers forced to avoid spending time outside of the home wherever possible, and huge numbers of white-collar professionals, office workers and service industry personnel were…

The full recovery of convenience stores in Singapore, which dominates value sales and outlet numbers within convenience retailers, has been driven by the resumption of pre-pandemic lifestyles. Consumers have returned to schools and offices, as the…

Convenience retailers maintained dynamic growth in current value terms and in terms of outlet numbers in South Korea in 2023. The number of convenience retailers surpassed 50,000 in 2021, and this figure increased to nearly 60,000 in 2023. The…

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…

Convenience stores in Thailand continued to recover and rise in 2023, with expansion in terms of outlet numbers a major driver. Rapid urbanisation, longer working hours, and declines in average household size boosted demand for smaller-format stores…

Convenience retailers in in the Philippines recorded a dynamic performance in current value terms in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. This was largely attributable to the aggressive activities of incumbent players, such as Philippine…

2023 saw convenience stores in Vietnam continue to expand rapidly in terms of number of outlets, especially into urban areas, as local lifestyles became increasingly busy. Convenience stores resonate with Gen Z consumers and students, gaining…

After China scrapped its zero-COVID policy at the end of 2022, retail sales declined in this country in both volume and real value terms in 2023. As consumers’ lives returned to normal, this resulted in a shift from cooking at home to eating out at…

Cooking ingredients and meals is witnessing greater stability in 2023 following the price shocks of 2022, which created much upheaval for the category. There was a significant increase in prices across the cooking ingredients and meals category in…

In 2023, a surge in living costs has driven price increases of 20-60% in cooking ingredients. As a result, demand has declined, especially among lower-middle-income consumers. To combat this, manufacturers have been focusing on smaller packs. On a…

In 2023, cooking ingredients and meals will see an improved performance in comparison with 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic finally coming to an end and inflation finally stabilising. In line with the economic reopening and tourism resuming, demand…

In 2023, overall cooking ingredients and meals is expected to see retail volume and current value declines. This is primarily due to the Chinese government’s removal of the zero-COVID policy at the end of 2022. With no more lockdown measures in…

The broader reopening of Hong Kong since late 2022 has unleashed a wave of travel enthusiasm amongst consumers in Hong Kong, with Japan emerging as a key destination. The revenge travel trend has continued into 2023, resulting in a significant…

In 2023, retail value sales of cooking ingredients and meals in India displayed high growth following the stabilisation of edible oils, the high value growth of ready meals, and a stable performance by mature categories such as sauce, dips and…

Discounting activities, consumers’ busier lifestyles and demand for more convenient, practical cooking solutions, especially amongst middle to upper income consumers, spurred growth in cooking ingredients and meals in Indonesia in 2023. Considerable…