Eastern Europe

The previously robust growth of energy drinks in Hungary experienced a slowdown in 2023. This slowdown is primarily attributed to the significant increase in prices for food and beverages, which prompted consumers to reduce their purchases of…

For a significant period, energy drinks seemed to be resistant to all negative factors influencing the soft drinks category. It registered solid volume growth in 2021, when many categories declined due to the rising prices caused by the newly…

100% juice is posting stable growth in Bulgaria in 2023, maintaining popularity due to its perceived freshness, nutritional value and alignment with health and wellness trends. Despite this, its growth potential is somewhat hampered by ongoing…

Juice in Hungary faced significant challenges in 2023 due to high inflation rates and rising prices. Across all juice categories, except for coconut and other plant waters, sales volume experienced a substantial decline. This decline can be…

In August 2023, the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) published its production forecast estimating that the apple harvest in Europe in 2023 will be 3% lower than the previous year. Meanwhile, Poland, which is considered Europe's largest apple…

Post-COVID-19, as travel and work activities resumed, there was a rebound in off-trade impulse consumption and demand for RTD coffee, leading to strong retail volume growth in 2022, albeit from a relatively low base. Such positive growth continues in…

Despite its low base and strong initial development, RTD coffee experienced a slowdown in growth, even a slight decline in 2023, due to price hikes implemented in 2022 and 2023. Financial instability prompted consumers to reduce expenses on…

In 2023, RTD coffee leads as the fastest growing category in soft drinks, in volume terms. Despite the unfavourable economic conditions, RTD coffee continues to attract new consumers. The product category is widely available in the modern trade, with…

RTD tea in Bulgaria faces a significant challenge due to its seasonality, with consumption predominantly occurring during the summer months. To address this, producers are introducing new flavour ranges not typically associated with summer, such as…

RTD tea sales in Hungary faced significant challenges in 2023 due to rising prices and the non-essential nature of these products. Despite the potential for growth, RTD tea remained highly reliant on player support, constant innovation, and seasonal…

In 2023, RTD tea declined in volume terms. Demand fell as consumers became more budget-conscious due to the cost of living crisis and higher average prices. RTD tea is also highly seasonal drink, with high dependency on promotional activities from…

The soft drinks market in Bulgaria in 2023 is experiencing transformative changes in response to economic factors and evolving consumer preferences. Inflationary pressures are notably impacting price growth and disposable incomes, leading consumers…

High inflation exerted significant pressure on consumer spending, negatively impacting soft drinks in 2023. Many consumers were forced to curtail their spending on non-essential items, leading to a decline in soft drink consumption. Strong product…

Soft drinks in Poland witnessed a decline in volume sales in 2023, following a second year of double-digit inflation. The steep growth in unit prices led to weaker demand for soft drinks, with some categories suffering more than the previous year.…

Sports drinks in Bulgaria is recording strong and stable growth in 2023, propelled by an increasing interest in outdoor sports and physical exercise, and a growing number of gyms. Alongside physical activity trends, there is a heightened awareness of…

The growing adoption of healthier lifestyles, including regular exercise routines, has positively impacted sports drinks sales in Hungary. Despite facing substantial price increases, consumers continue to participate in various sporting activities…

Despite being an emerging product in Poland, sports drinks saw volume sales growth slow in 2023, due to ongoing inflation and diminishing purchasing power. Nevertheless, it was still one of the top performing categories in soft drinks. The importance…

Bottled water continues to be the most popular soft drink in Bosnia-Herzegovina and is expected to achieve moderate volume growth in 2023. A certain cohort of consumers are switching to bottled water from carbonates, as they look to be healthier, and…

Overall, volume sales are expected to stagnate in 2023, with the most popular cola carbonates expected to see volume sales fall slightly. Carbonates are a mature product area, with little room for further growth, and added to this, the population…

While concentrates are a sizeable product area in Bosnia-Herzegovina, they have been on a downward trajectory in recent years and this expected to continue in 2023, with a further fall in volume sales. Consumers prefer the convenience of RTD options…