Eastern Europe

Consumer foodservice through stand-alone saw a double-digit value sales increase in 2023. The domination of stand-alone is the strong, long tradition of opening stand-alone locations in the country. The scarcity of large retail malls, leisure areas,…

Retail locations registered the highest value growth, as retail locations continue to be sought after locations, due to their high footfall. Also, in 2023, the Eurovea shopping centre in Bratislava expanded its food hall and it is now the largest…

The Czech foodservice market saw growing numbers of operators in standalone locations downsize to smaller outlets in 2023. Most visible among independents, this trend was partly explained by the desire to reduce overheads and maintain or improve…

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…

Most consumer foodservice categories in Bulgaria have either recovered or are nearing full recovery in 2023. With no movement or travel restrictions, despite new COVID-19 variants, the market could continue to develop uninterrupted in the year. The…

The high rate of inflation remained a topic of great concern to consumers and business owners in 2023, with Hungary recording one of the highest rates seen in the EU. Consumer foodservice outlets have been challenged with managing higher expenses for…

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…

The positive performance of consumer foodservice in 2023 was driven by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in March 2022. However, high inflation was seen from the last quarter of 2022, coinciding with rising consumption of heat, gas and electricity…

While inflation remained high in 2023, government measures aimed at protecting the hospitality sector benefitted consumer foodservice. In particular, the reduced 10% VAT rate (from a previous 20%), which was introduced during the pandemic, was made…

Consumer foodservice in the Czech Republic saw growth in total current value sales and transactions slow sharply in 2023. This was partly explained the normalisation of demand following the impressive rebound that accompanied the easing of the…

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…

In 2023, consumer health is no longer influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, as everyday life has normalized in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some categories, such as cough, cold allergy (hay fever) remedies, which were negatively impacted during the…

In 2023, the consumer health market in Bulgaria is set to see steady current value growth, with sales set to continue to fall at constant 2023 prices, though at a slower rate than in the previous year in both cases. Consumer preferences are shifting…

With high inflation as a result of the war in Ukraine, as well as the aftermath of COVID-19, prices have risen sharply, driving value sales growth in consumer health in Croatia. Volume sales, meanwhile, are beginning to return to their pre-pandemic…

Many OTC categories in Estonia, including cough and cold, experienced strong decline during COVID-19; however, sales are returning to their pre-pandemic performance in 2023 as viral illness are circulating more following the lifting of pandemic…

Consumer health is expected to register moderate constant value growth in 2023. Continuing economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and high inflation is continuing to have an effect and consumers are expected to be highly…

While consumer health in Hungary is set to post robust growth in total current value sales in 2023, this is primarily due to inflationary pressures fuelled by the global recovery from the pandemic, the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the…

Consumer health in Latvia continues to recover from the pandemic in 2023, with major categories seeing demand patterns rebalance as lifestyles shift back normality. Economic uncertainty is prevailing with inflation remaining high in 2023, a trend…

2023 marks the final year that the outbreak of COVID-19 impacts results. Product areas that gained sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic are returning to purchasing levels and behaviours seen before 2020. Similarly, those negatively impacted by the…

Despite higher standards of living in North Macedonia, economic challenges resulting in low disposable incomes remain, with the situation further exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine. This has led to double-digit inflation, which is increasing…