Eastern Europe

Baby and child-specific sun care was among the top performing categories across baby and child-specific products in Croatia during 2023, with volume sales rising strongly despite steep unit price increases over the course of the year. The main reason…

Baby and child-specific products in Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing growing interest among local parents who are seeking beauty and personal care brands developed specifically for babies and children. Leading category players are focused on ensuring…

Sun care sales rose in current value terms in the Czech Republic in 2023. After a slump during the COVID-19 crisis, when travel – and therefore exposure to the sun – was significantly restricted, the sun care category recorded a strong rebound coming…

In 2023, the post-pandemic recovery in sun care continued, although retail volume sales remained below pre-pandemic levels in Slovakia. Despite the growing pressure on purchasing power and rising prices, exceptionally good weather in Slovakia boosted…

Sun care products have traditionally been viewed as seasonal items, primarily associated with summer. However, in recent years, the season for sun protection usage has expanded significantly. Springtime now presents substantial UV exposure risks,…

Skin care registered significant current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023. Demand for SPF creams is a dominant trend in skin care. The demand for day creams with SPF continued to rise strongly at the end of the review period. Czech…

Skin care in Slovakia recorded healthy retail value growth in 2023, partly driven by price increases linked to rising costs and stronger consumer demand. Facial care registered very positive results with strong influence over category growth since it…

Skin care in Hungary is witnessing a notable transition from age-related specifications to problem-focused solutions, addressing issues like acne, redness, hyperpigmentation, dark spots, uneven skin tone, and atopy. With an increasing number of…

Premium beauty and personal care continued to see strong current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023, moving even further beyond pre-pandemic levels. Rising average unit prices were key to growth during the year, driven by the high rate of…

Premium skin and sun care in Slovakia recorded strong growth in 2023 despite challenging inflation. Over the review period, premium skin care has established a solid position among Slovak consumers. There has been a gradual increase in premium brands…

Premium beauty and personal care saw dynamic growth in current value terms in 2023 despite the challenging economic environment and soaring inflation. Consumers of premium beauty personal care products were more accepting of price increases due to a…

Oral care saw current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023. Toothpaste was amongst the few personal care categories that did not see a strong shift towards the cheaper alternatives provided by private labels at the end of the review period. The…

Tooth whiteners outpaced growth in Slovakia’s oral care category, in both retail volume and current value terms. Despite the rising prices seen in 2023, consumers did not lose interest in home whitening kits and whitening strips. The reason behind…

Oral care in Hungary is witnessing a surge in demand for therapeutic toothpaste, particularly in the realm of implant-friendly, gum-protecting and sensitivity-relieving variants. This increase in demand can be attributed to the ageing population and…

In 2023, the men’s grooming category recorded current value growth in the Czech Republic. The category’s expansion can be attributed largely to men’s skin care, which rose in both retail value and volume terms during the year. Mass men’s skin care…

In 2023, men’s grooming in Slovakia witnessed robust current value growth, fuelled mostly by men’s skin care, which outperformed the entire category in current value and retail volume terms. Facial hair and beards are popular in Slovakia, which has…

As current fashion trends lean towards styled facial hair, a significant number of male customers are opting for grooming techniques that focus on shaping their beard contours rather than achieving a smooth shave. This has led to a surge in demand…

Mass beauty and personal care saw current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023. Brands and companies focused on adding extra value to boost sales, with some blurring the lines between the mass and premium segments. This was particularly visible…

Mass beauty and personal care in Slovakia recorded healthy growth in current value terms, albeit boosted by high inflation. In 2023, energy, transport and production costs remained high, which forced manufacturers to increase unit prices. Although…

Mass beauty and personal care registered dynamic double-digit growth in current value terms in 2023, albeit this was largely due to soaring inflation, with volume sales seeing more modest growth. High inflation and declining purchasing power resulted…

Hair care saw current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023. The skinification of hair was a notable shift in focus in the hair care category, as consumers looked to repair existing damage and/or to prevent damage. The scalp is an extension of…

Despite the decrease in retail volume sales, hair care recorded positive growth in current value sales, primarily due to price increases. Lower purchasing power led consumers to limit their spending, with more consumers choosing to dye their hair at…

The hair care market experienced a significant shift towards home treatments and wellness routines towards the end of the review period. This was driven by a combination of factors including the lingering impact of COVID-19 and rising inflation,…

Fragrances saw further current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023, with volume sales falling as consumers paid higher prices but left with fewer items in their shopping baskets. The overall positive performance was driven by premium…

Premium fragrances recorded high single-digit current value growth in 2023, with retail volume sales being notably slower and impacted by stubbornly high inflation. Mass fragrances declined in in both retail value and volume terms, with economic…

Mass fragrances experienced double-digit growth in current value terms in 2023 due to significant price hikes, although growth remained lower compared to premium fragrances due to the price sensitivity of the target customer group for these products.…

Depilatories registered current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023. High inflation and the rising prices of services in beauty salons, as well as laser hair removal, temporarily supported the growing retail value of the category. Sales…

Permanent and semi-permanent hair removal continues to be popular among Slovak consumers, providing strong limitations to the sale of traditional depilatories. In 2023, the category recorded only modest current value growth, mostly driven by rising…

In an effort to present better value and attract sales some manufacturers increased their pack sizes, as seen with 10+4 Gilette Blue and 10+5 Wilkinson Sword. However, these large packs do not always present the best value with smaller packs of four…

Deodorants saw current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023. This modest value growth achieved in 2023 can be mostly attributed to rising prices rather than increasing demand. Deodorant sticks is amongst the most mature categories in…

Deodorants in Slovakia recorded only modest current value growth in 2023 as consumers frequently traded down to cheaper brands and private label. Retail volume sales remained negative with the exception of deodorant creams, which saw only marginal…

Hungary played host to the world’s first deodorant refilling stations in 2023. These new refill stations are designed to offer a more sustainable solution in the deodorants market. These stations work with Rossmann’s Isana private label line of…

Colour cosmetics saw current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023 as the category saw a continued rise in sales having exceeded the pre-pandemic level in the previous year. Value growth was driven by the inflationary context, while the increase…

Colour cosmetics continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia. A large proportion of current value growth has been driven by inflation and rising prices in 2023. Many consumers are turning towards colour cosmetics to indulge and treat…

The trend of achieving a healthy natural glow is reshaping the colour cosmetics market in Hungary, with a focus on perfecting the skin's texture and hydration rather than heavy use of make-up. Social media influencers, ‘skinfluencers’ and celebrities…

The war in Ukraine derailed the economic recovery of the Czech Republic and further disrupted the growth of real wages. GDP fell slightly in 2023, mainly reflecting a decline in household consumption amidst deteriorating consumer sentiment and a high…

Beauty and personal care in Slovakia registered strong current value growth in 2023 underpinned by soaring inflation which triggered price increases across all categories. The Slovak economy has remained somewhat resilient despite significant…

Hungary's beauty and personal care market witnessed several notable trends in 2023 with these reflecting evolving consumer preferences and demographic shifts. First, the ageing population played a significant role, driving demand for specialised…

Baby and shower saw modest current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023. Competition is traditionally intense amongst grocery retailers and drugstores, and consumers are strongly driven by promo deals and lower price points. The impact of…

Competition is intense among grocery retailers and drugstores in Slovakia. However, with an increasing number of discounters being established in the country these players are increasing value share. Lidl reached a total of 153 stores in 2023, which…

High inflation and declining purchasing power significantly influenced consumer purchasing decisions when it came to bath and shower products in 2023. The discounted pricing strategies of retailers such as Lidl and Aldi proved successful with these…

Baby and child-specific products saw current value growth in the Czech Republic in 2023. Parents have become more concerned about the health and hygiene of their newborns, which has gradually led to an increase in demand for baby and child-specific…

In 2023, healthy growth was recorded in baby and child-specific products in Slovakia. High inflationary pressures on price underpinned current value growth. Demand remains solid as parents deem these products as essential products for their…

In 2023, prices of baby and child-specific products inevitably saw a significant price hike from manufacturers and retailers alike as Hungary continued to suffer from elevated inflation. As disposable income was squeezed a significant number of…

Sun care in Bulgaria was hard hit during the pandemic when travel all but stopped in the country. Bulgarian consumers do not use sun protection all year round, with usage mainly concentrated during the summer season when citizens take holidays and…

In 2023, skin care in Bulgaria witnessed robust double-digit growth in current value terms, mainly driven by unit price increase. However, volume sales also made steady gains thanks to the growing popularity of products targeting specific skin…

Premium beauty and personal care recorded a strong performance in 2023, despite the high inflation and economic instability in the country. Bulgarian consumers showed an increased interest in premium products, with strong double-digit value growth in…

Due to the influence of social media, the popularity of teeth whitening at home is gathering pace in Bulgaria and this is contributing to the positive development of oral care in Bulgaria. The desire for a youthful, confident smile fuelled the demand…

Men’s grooming in Bulgaria is evolving due to changing attitudes towards self-care with men investing in their personal appearance. In 2023, men’s grooming witnessed robust growth in current value terms driven mainly by unit price increases, while…

Mass beauty and personal care in Bulgaria registered a positive performance in 2023. Whilst price increases fuelled some of this growth, the increased demand for more affordable products was also a factor as inflation remained stubbornly high. This…