Eastern Europe

In Slovakia, retail adult incontinence products for light and moderate/heavy users witnessed sales growth in 2023. Increasing numbers of consumers are suffering with incontinence problems as the population is ageing. Manufacturers have ramped up…

Retail adult incontinence in Slovenia continued to witness robust volume growth in 2023. The country's rapidly ageing population remains a primary driver of this growth, with older individuals forming the core consumer base for incontinence products.…

In 2023, consumers focused on buying essential retail tissue products in Serbia, as inflation remained stubbornly high. Toilet paper faced robust volume growth and supported overall category growth, as it is considered a necessary product that cannot…

Retail tissue in Slovakia bucked the downward economic trend in 2023, by posting a solid increase in volume sales. Healthy growth in toilet paper supported this trend aided by brand and private label innovations. Economy toilet paper was launched by…

Sales of retail tissue in Slovenia in 2023 saw growth in both value and volume terms. This expansion was primarily propelled by heightened hygiene awareness among consumers, a growing population, and the ongoing urbanisation trend. Post-pandemic,…

Volume sales of Rx/reimbursement adult incontinence in Serbia remained stable in 2023. The ageing population is the main driver of category sales, as the elderly tend to experience incontinence issues later in life. In tandem, rising inflation and…

The growth of Rx/reimbursement adult incontinence in Slovakia remained stable in 2023, as consumers tend to use these products for a long time. Compared to retail, products prescribed by the doctor are fully reimbursed by an insurance company, and…

The category of Rx/reimbursement adult incontinence experienced growth in both volume and value terms in 2023 in Slovenia, driven primarily by healthcare settings. As the elderly population continues to increase, more individuals are seeking…

Rising inflation has dampened volume sales of tissue and hygiene in Serbia. Higher logistical and raw material costs linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have also resulted in price increases. With the high costs of living…

Tissue and hygiene in Slovakia recorded only slight volume growth in 2023, as strong inflationary pressures limited consumer expenditure and prevented an increase in spend year-on-year. Robust price increases in tissue and hygiene ultimately led to…

Tissue and hygiene in Slovenia experienced significant growth in 2023 driven by heightened health and hygiene awareness among consumers. With ongoing concerns about cleanliness and sanitation, individuals are prioritising products such as wipes,…

Demand for wipes in Serbia has been supported by elevated hygiene standards since the COVID-19 pandemic. Though wipes registered double-digit current value growth in 2023, constant value sales were flat. Prices have been rising due to the soaring…

Sales of wipes in Slovakia continued to enjoy steady growth in retail volume terms, while current value growth benefited from rising prices. Consumers have become more hygiene conscious since the outbreak of COVID-19, with this helping to support the…

Wipes experienced growth both in volume and value terms in Slovenia in 2023, with deodorant wipes emerging as one of the fastest-growing subcategories. This growth is primarily attributed to increased hygiene awareness among consumers, coupled with a…

Following a sharp contraction in 2022, apparel and footwear specialists in Ukraine saw current value sales rebound strongly in 2023. However, its recovery was skewed by price hikes imposed to offset inflationary pressures, with trade remaining…

While appliances and electronics specialists in Ukraine showed a much improved performance in current value sales terms in 2023, it remained one of the retail channels worst affected by the Russian invasion. Because the types of goods such outlets…

In 2023, away-from-home (AFH) hygiene led in the AFH segment in volume terms, thanks to AFH adult incontinence registering positive dynamics, in contrast to AFH tissue, in which all categories were noted for negative growth rates. Hospitals began to…

Convenience retailers in Ukraine continued to prove more successful than other grocery formats in weathering the challenges brought about by the Russian invasion in 2023. Offering a relatively limited range of day-to-day essentials, they were well…

The mass exodus of refugees from Ukraine in 2022 following the Russian invasion took a particularly heavy toll on direct selling. This was because a high proportion of those who left were women, who not only represent this channel’s main target…

General merchandise stores in Ukraine is dominated by variety stores, which continued to weather the challenges of trading during a full-scale war better than many other types of retailers in 2023. This was mainly because their offer of wide ranges…