Eastern Europe

Supermarkets in Bulgaria registered current value growth, though constant value sales fell. Inflation was still an issue and impacted profitability. That being said, supermarkets are the largest modern grocery retailer in terms of value sales, with…

Small local grocers in the Czech Republic have struggled to adapt in an environment of high inflation, which has weakened the Czech economy since 2022 and created a cost of living crisis for Czech households. Indeed, some outlets were forced to cease…

Inflation was still an issue in 2023 for small local grocers in Bulgaria, though growth eased. As such, though current value sales rose, constant value sales fell, as continuing rising costs cut profit margins. There was also minimal openings of new…

In retail tissue in Bosnia and Herzegovina, toilet paper, paper tableware and paper towels all saw a moderate decline in retail volume terms in 2023. Consumers opted to economise and refrained from buying less essential products like paper tableware.…

Retail in the Czech Republic was heavily affected by the war in Ukraine, as energy costs soared and inflation climbed to double digits, a trend that has continued into 2023. The Czech economy has weakened substantially with consumers struggling to…

High inflation continued to impact retail in Bulgaria in 2023, though growth in retail prices did ease. As such, though current value sales increased, there was a fall in constant value sales, as continuing rising costs hit profit margins, and also…

After dynamic sales during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce retail sales slowed in 2023. This is not only attributed to the natural slowdown in growth after several successful years, but also the weaker economy. Czech households made…

High inflation impacted retail e-commerce in Bulgaria in 2023. As such, though retail e-commerce registered high current value growth, constant value sales fell. Consumers cut back on spending on less essential items and this impacted e-commerce.…

Consumer demand for retail adult incontinence remains stable in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with marginal growth in retail volume terms. In response to rising prices, the category has seen strong double-digit retail value growth. Older people are the…

Nappies/diapers/pants in Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of hardest hit categories in tissue and hygiene as it is heavily impacted by the country’s declining population, thus creating a smaller potential consumer base. Low birth rates continue to…

Menstrual care in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a mature category that witnessed volume decline in 2023, due to a shrinking consumer base and declining population. Nonetheless, with the help of rising prices caused by inflation, menstrual care continues…

High inflation and the deteriorating economic situation in the Czech Republic led to weaker volume sales for hypermarkets in 2023. Shoppers were keen to reduce costs and cut back on the number of products they buy, leading to a decrease in volume…

After discounters, hypermarkets were the best performing grocery channel in Bulgaria in 2023 in terms of value growth. With inflation still high, hypermarkets registered a small increase in constant value sales. Recent opening of new outlets also…

After a spike in current value growth in 2022, home products specialists in the Czech Republic saw a noticeable drop in demand for homewares and furniture in 2023. Demand weakened organically following the significant increases seen in 2022, when the…

Home products specialists in Bulgaria registered current value growth in 2023, though constant value sales fell. Inflation was still an issue and impacted profitability. That being said, it was homewares and home furnishing stores that dragged down…

In 2023, health and beauty specialists in the Czech Republic experienced a decline in retail volume sales as price hikes dampened consumption. The largest contributor to category growth were beauty specialists, which continued to see a recovery from…

Despite continuing high inflation, performance for health and beauty specialists in Bulgaria was stable, with constant value sales rising slightly. There was also further opening of outlets. Value sales through pharmacies continued to account for…

General merchandise stores in the Czech Republic, which comprises department stores and variety stores, experienced weaker value growth in 2023. Department stores in Czech Republic continue to lose appeal among locals. As it stands, there are…

Muted performance for general merchandise in 2023

High inflation has led to a much weaker economy in 2023, with the increased costs of living benefiting discounters in the Czech Republic. As household spending tightened, price became the overriding factor when purchasing most household goods. Czechs…

Discounters in Bulgaria were the best performing grocery retailers in 2023. With inflation still being high, consumers were price sensitive and prioritised value for money. As such, discounters registered a moderate increase in constant value sales.…

Direct selling in the Czech Republic experienced a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when physical outlets were closed. With online retailers still underdeveloped, direct sellers were able to absorb some of the retail needs of Czechs.…

Direct selling registered a fall in current value sales in Bulgaria in 2023. Both high inflation and a shift away from direct selling to e-commerce led to a drop in sales, as e-commerce also provides the convenience of direct delivery. In fact,…

Convenience retailers in the Czech Republic are suffering amid retail price increases as locals are searching for the best value and price when shopping. When it comes to price, convenience retailers are unable to compete with larger retailers and so…

2023 was not a good year for convenience retailers in Bulgaria. With inflation still being high, consumers cut back on spending in convenience retailers, as prices tend to be higher than in other grocery retailers. In addition, there is a degree of…

With minimal additional public investments and moderate business spending on away-from-home tissue and hygiene products in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the category witnessed marginal volume growth in 2023. Significant price increases were also an issue…

HP Tronic Zlin spol sro has consolidated its lead among appliance and electronics specialists in the Czech Republic, after Datart acquired Euronics in 2023. Some Euronics locations have been closed, whilst some have been transferred to Datart, thus…

Performance was muted in 2023 for appliances and electronic specialists in Bulgaria, with minimal current value growth, and constant value sales falling. Continuing rising prices cut into profit margins and reduced consumers’ purchasing power. As…

Apparel and footwear in the Czech Republic witnessed steady volume and current value growth in 2023 as shopping patterns started returning to normality post-pandemic. Price increases were also a factor underpinning current value growth, with this…

With inflation still being an issue, though apparel and footwear specialists in Bulgaria registered an increase in current value sales, constant value sales fell, as continuing rising costs cut into profit margins. There was also a slight decline in…

Depopulation in Serbia from 2021-2040 will be the result of the rising death rate and reduced births. Improved living standards and declining births will see ageing continue, with over a quarter of the population being 65+ by 2040. The rural…

The report observes the changing dynamics of loyalty in mobility, focusing specifically on the automotive, shared mobility and car rental industries. It identifies and examines the key themes shaping modern loyalty and how brands should adjust their…

Street stalls/kiosks has historically been a particularly strong consumer foodservice channel in Ukraine, with it being the largest channel in terms of number of transactions prior to the pandemic. Since 2020 the channel has been under significant…

Street stalls/kiosks was among the better performing areas of Poland’s foodservice market in 2023, in part because comparatively low prices ensured it was somewhat less exposed to the cost-of-living crisis. Given the importance of on-the-go…

Self-service cafeterias in Ukraine continues to be a highly fragmented category, mostly consisting of no-frills establishments serving lunchtime offerings. Most of these establishments are fairly traditional with less reliance on technology than…

Self-service cafeterias was one of the strongest performers among the main foodservice categories in Poland in terms of growth in transactions and current value sales in 2023. Like limited-service restaurants, it weathered the cost-of-living crisis…

Russia’s war in Ukraine has created challenging economic conditions and a difficult operating environment which has presented significant obstacles for players operating within limited-service restaurants. Sales plummeted in value and volume terms in…

Limited-service restaurants in Poland saw growth in transactions and current value sales slow in 2023 as stubbornly high inflation continued to drive up menu prices and make consumers more cautious in their spending habits. However, the downturn was…

Full-service restaurants saw a partial recovery in 2023 but sales remained well below 2021 levels as many operators continued to struggle due the difficult conditions in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. Their higher menu prices compared to…

While full-service restaurants in Poland continued to post growth in current value sales in 2023, this was primarily due to price hikes imposed to offset rising costs amidst stubbornly high inflation. Transactions declined slightly as falling…

Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine continued to be a major factor influencing consumer foodservice in 2023. Nonetheless, Ukrainian businesses showed unprecedented resilience while operating in challenging wartime conditions, including constant air raids…

Consumer foodservice in Poland saw growth in total transactions and current value sales slow dramatically in 2023. This was partly due to the normalisation of consumption habits following the market’s rapid rebound from the negative impact of the…

Consumer foodservice through all locations suffered heavy losses in 2022 following Russia’s invasion. More specifically, consumer foodservice through lodging and leisure locations witnessed heavy losses in 2022 due to several factors including the…

Consumer foodservice through retail was by far the most dynamic performer in terms of growth in outlet numbers in Poland in 2023. This was mainly due to the rapid development of counters offering hot and cold food and beverages in grocery stores…

Within cafés/bars, bars/pubs experienced a rebound in activity levels in 2023 due in part to the shortening of curfews in most of Ukraine’s regions. Curfews were enforced all around Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion, but their duration was…

Specialist coffee and tea shops and cafés were the strongest performers within cafés/bars in Poland in current value growth terms in 2023. While both saw trade slow sharply as the cost-of-living crisis made consumers inclined to rein in discretionary…

Depopulation in Poland from 2021-2040 will be the result of negative natural change, with rising death rates and reduced births. Ageing will continue, with almost a quarter of the population being 65+ by 2040. Women will increasingly aim to establish…

In a category with all members in decline, rim blocks and rim liquids posted the smallest drop in volume sales terms in 2023. Products found within these segments are often considered essential for maintaining toilet hygiene, and Ukrainian consumers…

Toilet care is experiencing growth in value terms in Slovenia, spurred by factors such as inflation and heightened health and hygiene concerns among consumers. The emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic,…

Toilet care is seeing flat volume sales, while value growth is supported by the price hikes which have affected categories across home care. While Bref (Henkel Slovensko spol sro) holds just under half of all brand shares in toilet care, followed by…