Bolivia

Bolivia has managed to protect itself to a large extent from inflation by continuing to have a fixed exchange rate against the dollar. However, there has been challenges for the economy in 2023, with sharp falls in foreign currency reserves and this…

Edible oils is expected to register a slight decrease in volume sales in 2023. That being said, consumers have not been exposed to the same global inflationary pressures for edible oils as many other countries arising both from the war in Ukraine and…

Condensed milk, followed by cream, are the two main products in terms of value sales within other dairy in Bolivia. In 2023, other dairy is expected to register muted volume growth, with the performance dragged down by condensed milk. Condensed milk…

While dietary supplements are expected to register moderate current value growth, constant value growth is expected to be minimal. Dietary supplements are mainly imported and in 2023 costs have been rising for imports, due to a sharp decline in…

With society operating normally once again, after the pandemic, visits to doctors in relation to skin conditions have increased. This is seeing products such as topical antifungals, vaginal antifungals, cold sore treatments, and haemorrhoid…

Sports drinks continues to grow from strength to strength and in 2023 is expected to register double-digit volume growth. One factor driving this healthy growth is an expanding consumer base. Not only are sports drinks consumed by athletes looking to…

Breakfast cereals is expected to register healthy value and volume growth in 2023. With consumers leading increasingly busy lives, the convenience of breakfast cereals supports volume sales. Also, in addition, to family packs, there is an increasing…

New payment technologies continued to arrive in modern grocery channels in Bolivia at the end of the review period. Consumers demand in-person shopping options that incorporate more of the ease and convenience of online shopping. In a market where…

Mass beauty and personal care in Bolivia registered higher value growth than premium in 2023. With prices rising, particularly for imported brands, due to a significant fall in foreign cash reserves, there was a degree of trading down behaviour from…

In 2023, sports nutrition is expected to register a slight increase in current value sales, though constant value sales are expected to fall, as rising costs hit profitability. While Bolivia has managed to protect itself to a large extent from…

The increased availability of low-cost generic proton pump inhibitors containing compounds such as omeprazole are dampening volume sales of antacids. Despite omeprazole being registered as an Rx drug, it is widely available, and can be accessed…

In 2023, volumes sales are expected to register further volume decline. Consumers prefer the convenience of RTD options and also perceive concentrates as being a staid, old fashioned product area, with little innovation. As such, concentrates are…

Bottled water is expected to register healthy volume growth in 2023. Also, with prices being stables, this also contributes to maintaining volume growth. Climate change is also having an effect, with higher temperatures leading to increased demand…

With the war in Ukraine still having an inflationary impact on wheat prices, and with bread being one of the most important staple for Bolivians, the government subsidised the price of flour for bakers. Government authorities reported that 2 million…

The country continued to emerge out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2022. With the relaxation of restrictions on movement and socialisation, shoppers returned to physical stores, driving the ongoing recovery of sales in categories that were…

The outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit direct selling companies hard as they were almost entirely dependent on their sales agents or distributors to generate sales. Restrictions on movement and socialisation stopped this model in its…

RTD tea is expected to register volume growth in 2023, supported by continuing population growth and also stable prices for local brands, which have been protected to an extent from global inflationary pressures. The segment is also seeing continuing…

In 2023, cheese consumption continues to grow in Bolivia, encouraged by higher levels of milk production, with much of the overcapacity being channelled for cheese production. While prices are expected to rise for cheese, they are not expected to be…

While analgesics performed well during the pandemic, they has returned to more moderate growth now that the threat has subsided. In 2023, analgesics is expected to register moderate current value growth, though constant value sales are expected to…

It was a subdued picture for beauty and personal care in Bolivia in 2023. While Bolivia has managed to protect itself to a large extent from inflation by continuing to have a fixed exchange rate against the dollar, there were challenges for the…

Among baby and child-specific products in Bolivia in 2023, sun care registered the highest current value and volume growth. Parents are becoming increasingly aware of the need to protect their children from the sun. In the western part of Bolivia,…

With agricultural workers getting wage increases, this increased the cost of sugar in Bolivia in 2023. This has impacted juice players, particularly those companies that do not have price agreements with the sugar mills. That being said, juice is…

Fresh ground coffee continues to account for most volume sales and with coffee being locally produced, this ensures stability and affordability of prices to a large extent. There are numerous well-established local brands. Examples being the hugely…

Considerable state involvement hinders economic freedom in Bolivia, whilst government finances remain weak and a threat to stability. Although inflation has been controlled effectively, through subsidies and solid food production, the economy is…

Vitamins are expected to be the worst performing consumer health product in 2023, with a significant decline in volume sales. The boon from the pandemic is long over and in particular vitamins that claim immune boosting benefits are seeing a…

While value sales are still low, soy drinks are expected to register healthy current value and moderate volume growth. Local dairy companies now offer soy drinks and this has greatly increased distribution, both in supermarkets and also local…

Before the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, e-commerce purchases of goods were largely made via foreign websites, such as Amazon or other similar sites. However, with the development and strong promotion of domestic e-commerce…

Flavoured powder drinks continue to account for most volume sales, and in particular chocolate-based flavoured powder drinks. However, other variants of other hot drinks are also popular, such as other plant-based hot drinks and this segment is…

In 2023, Bolivian society again resumed daily life as it was before the pandemic, with people out and about more, as a result. This is expected to result in less drinking milk being consumed at home and this is expected to dampen volume sales,…

In 2023, the consumption of butter at home is expected to register similar healthy growth levels in sales volumes similar to those registered before the start of the pandemic. That being said, value sales are still low, with margarine and spreads and…

In 2023, paediatric consumer health is expected to register a decline in current value sales. A contributing factor to the decline is that the birth rate is falling in Bolivia. That being said, birth rates are still high. Some products are expected…

Meals and soup are expected to register a decrease in volume sales in 2023. In particular, soup is expected to register a steep volume decline. Part of this decline is due to the widespread availability of smuggled soup in outdoor markets. Smuggling…

In recent years, the local government has been active in promoting the development of traditional medicine. In 2023, local health authorities continued with this strategy and signed an agreement with the Japanese government to help promote local…

Pharmacies remained a leading format within non-grocery retailers in Bolivia at the end of the review period. Farmacorp, the leading non-grocery retailer, continued to invest heavily in expansion to reach, according to the company, all regional…

Retail volume growth for sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks in Bolivia in 2024 is projected to be slower than in 2023, while current value growth looks set to surpass that recorded the previous year. Like snacks in general, its performance…

Throughout 2023, away-from-home tissue and hygiene sustained its upward trajectory in Bolivia, benefiting from the complete normalisation of activities and the absence of pandemic-related restrictions. This conducive environment facilitated…

In 2023, e-vapour products in Bolivia experienced considerable growth and formalisation in the distribution channels for e-vapour products. The availability of these products surged in both modern and traditional retail outlets. Initially, e-vapour…

Bolivia has managed to protect itself to a large extent from inflation by continuing to have a fixed exchange rate against the dollar. Besides the fixed exchange rate, Bolivia’s subsidies for key products have also helped keep inflation low. However,…

Rice is expected to register positive current value and volume growth in 2023. Rice is an important staple in the Bolivian diet, having one of the highest consumption rate in the region. However, it was protected from global inflationary pressure, as…

Weight management and wellbeing is expected to register an increase in current value sales, though growth in volume sales is expected to be minimal. Rising inflation as a result of a sharp decline in foreign currency reserve is pushing up prices,…

Sauces, dips and condiments are expected to register healthy current value and volume growth in 2023. With increasing inflationary pressure, consumers look to cook at home, with cooking ingredients and condiments especially performing well. That…

Yoghurt is expected to register healthy current value and volume growth in 2023, while value sales for sour milk products continue to be negligible. Whereas before yoghurt was perceived as a non-essential premium product, it is increasingly becoming…

Processed fruit and vegetables is expected to register a fall in volume sales in 2023, due to rising inflation. While Bolivia had managed to protect itself to a large extent from inflation by continuing to have a fixed exchange rate against the…

Bolivia has managed to protect itself to a large extent from inflation by continuing to have a fixed exchange rate against the dollar. However, there has been challenges for the economy in 2023, with sharp falls in foreign currency reserves and this…

Seasonal flus have returned, as people mix together once again , post pandemic, and cough, cold and allergy (hay fever remedies) are expected to register moderate current value growth, though constant value growth will be minimal, as rising costs hit…

Shelf stable seafood is mainly imported and is expected to be impacted by inflationary pressure in 2023. While Bolivia had managed to protect itself to a large extent from inflation by continuing to have a fixed exchange rate against the dollar,…