Eastern Europe

The snacks market is set to see growth in both volume and value terms in Serbia in 2024. This is largely due to the return of consumers to their busy lifestyles, including increased opportunities for socialisation inside and outside the home and…

Snacks in Slovakia in 2024 is seeing flat total volume growth in 2024, with a slight negative-digit volume decline in retail terms and small positive growth in foodservice. Meanwhile, value sales are being better supported by ongoing unit price…

Consumers in Slovenia are becoming more focused on seeking healthier snacks options. As such the demand for snacks with additional health benefits as well as snacks with a reduced amount of sugar is growing. Snacking has become even more popular in…

The snacking culture continues to develop in the Czech Republic which is helping the category to grow despite prevailing economic challenges. More consumers, especially younger generations, are turning to subsidising traditional meals with…

Snacks in Ukraine in 2024 is benefitting from some economic stabilisation and local adaption to life during war. Retail volume sales for many snacks segments are showing recovery, albeit it small, with progress still limited by current circumstances…

The Sofia in Bulgaria report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital penetration,…

Overall, soft drinks is expected to register a minimal increase in retail volume sales. Continuing population decline dampens volume sales, as well as inflation, though price growth has eased. Growth is also muted through foodservice channels.

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…

Soft drinks is expected to register muted volume growth in 2023, as a continuing declining population dampens volume sales somewhat. On the other hand, significant numbers of inbound visitors to Croatia in 2023, is expected to give volume sales a…

Energy drinks, led by the reduced sugar format, posted double-digit off-trade volume growth in 2023, while most other categories saw moderates increases. The exceptions were RTD tea and juice, which registered small decreases in retail volume sales…

Soft drinks is expected to register healthy volume growth in 2023, despite continuing economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Geopolitical tensions in the region has led to a significant increase in the number of immigrants…

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…

Due to rising inflation and economic uncertainty in Latvia, off-trade volume sales of soft drinks declined in 2023. With rising prices, disposable incomes were reduced, leading many to adapt their buying habits, reducing purchases of non-essential…

Sales in soft drinks remain in a decline in Lithuania in 2023, albeit showing a less steep slump in off-trade volume terms than seen in 2022. This is attributed to ongoing economic challenges, starting with the era of the pandemic, following into the…

Soft drinks achieved minimal off-trade volume growth and double-digit off-trade value growth in North Macedonia in 2023 amidst rising unit prices and the broader impact of inflation. The on-trade recovery of soft drinks continued during the year,…

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.…

The soft drinks landscape in Romania recorded stagnate retail volume sales in 2023, with a similar performance to 2022. The main factors negatively impacting sales included rising inflation, the increased cost of raw materials and declining…

Soft drinks in Serbia faced significant challenges in 2023 due to a decline in disposable income. The economic downturn prompted Serbians to reassess their purchasing habits, focusing primarily on essential products. With price sensitivity on the…

Only energy drinks is projected to see positive off-trade volume growth over 2023 as a whole. While there was a slow shift back to foodservice, as consumers more fully resumed pre-Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic work, social and travel norms,…

Soft drinks witnessed steady volume growth in 2023 with progress reported in both the off-trade and on-trade. Horeca establishments are now trading as normal in Slovenia and this is enabling on-trade volume sales to make a further recovery with…

Soft drinks continued to be affected by high inflation, which started in 2022 and continued in 2023, leading to cost of living increases. The worsened economic situation saw demand fall in established categories, especially juice and carbonates,…

Sales of soft drinks have been significantly impacted by Russia’s war in Ukraine and soaring inflation. Besides the resulting decline in the population and the loss of territories, the market also faces other obstacles including consumers downtrading…

The PET bottle is the dominant pack type in Polish soft drinks, in the retail channel in particular. PET bottles are seen as a convenient option for many soft drink products, such as carbonates and bottled water, as they come in various pack sizes,…

The continued trend of bulk buying, even post-pandemic, coupled with a preference for online shopping, has led consumers to opt for larger quantities of bottled water, prioritising cost-effectiveness and stockpiling. Multipack offerings can help…

In 2024, spectacle lenses maintained their position as the primary growth driver within spectacles, surpassing frames and readymade reading glasses in both retail value and volume terms. The necessity for regular replacement of spectacle lenses due…

Spectacles in Romania is set to see total volume sales contract for a third consecutive year in 2024, with the rate of decline expected to be slightly steeper than in 2023. Overall demand continues to be depressed by high inflation, in that rising…

Consumer demand for spirits witnessed a significant slowdown in 2023, marked by minimal total volume growth across the category. This trend was characterised by mixed performances among the three largest spirits categories. While whisky categories…

In 2023, the consumption of spirits in Bulgaria increased with volume sales rising well in on-trade venues but declining marginally in retailers. Current value growth was fuelled by price rises after a long period of stability. Nevertheless, the…

In 2023, the frequency of spirits consumption in Croatia saw a notable increase, as social activities both in on-trade and off-trade settings began to resemble pre-pandemic patterns. Retailers observed a heightened demand for spirits, with products…

Eastern Europe is still leading in spirits per capita consumption globally. Despite vodka continuing to dominate spirits, consumer taste preferences shift towards flavour sophistication. This drives other spirits, whiskies and brandy. Mid- and…

In 2023, spirits in Estonia experienced a calmer year compared to previous ones. After the fluctuations during the pandemic, sales of spirits demonstrated a more stagnant performance. The product area took a breather, stabilising after the volatility…

In 2023, the influx of immigrants from Russia did not significantly impact vodka sales in Georgia, resulting in a subdued growth compared to the previous year. Consumption of spirits remained relatively constant, with distinct preferences observed…

Total volume sales of spirits increased slightly in Hungary in 2023. A small yet affluent customer segment, characterised by a higher level of knowledge about spirits and a discerning taste for quality, continued to drive the market for premium…

Total volume sales stagnated in spirits as household budgets remained under pressure in Latvia from the high costs of living. The strong performance in 2022 was fuelled by the relaxation of pandemic restrictions, which boosted sales in horeca…

Volume sales of spirits declined in 2023, partly due to economic concerns in Lithuania. On-trade sales faced a challenging period during the second half of the year as the post-pandemic euphoria of going out slowed down. Consumers started reacting to…

Spirits registered robust volume growth in 2023 with some consumers in North Macedonia drinking more spirits in place of beer and wine. With total volumes already well recovered from the pandemic in 2022, demand for spirits continues to rise…

The average unit price of spirits in Poland rose sharply in 2023 due to high inflation, an increase in production costs, and a further increase in the excise tax rate by 5%. Although these price rises translated into strong growth in current value…

Spirits suffered from inflationary pressures in 2023 with higher input costs associated with energy and raw materials driving up average prices in Romania. Excise duty also increased in January 2023 which contributed to price growth and the weaker…

Spirits volume sales slowed down in 2023 with the on-trade responsible for most of the growth in Serbia. The on-trade sector is steadily recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and should see a full rebound in volume sales during 2024. With the rate of…

Total volume sales of spirits in Slovakia continued to decline in 2023, Growth was impacted by mounting inflationary pressures, which weighed heavily on consumer purchasing power, especially when it came to discretionary items. Excise taxes for…

In 2023, spirits emerged as one of the fastest-growing categories in alcoholic drinks in Slovenia. This surge in consumption is primarily driven by the perceived quality and association with status and sophistication. Rum and gin, in particular, have…

The challenging economic situation in the Czech Republic led to weaker demand for spirits in both the off-trade and on-trade in 2023. Czech households came under more intense financial pressure due to prevailing high inflation, with the price of…

Overall spirits saw a strong sales performance in total volume terms in 2023, driven by the largest categories – vodka, brandy and whiskies – all of which saw their sales exceed pre-war figures. Vodka benefited from consumers shifting from the…

The Split in Croatia report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital penetration,…

Sports drinks is expected to register the highest volume growth among all sports drinks in 2023. That being said, this growth is from a very low base. With consumers increasingly looking to be healthier and more active, this is driving volume growth…

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…

Sports drinks is expected to register continuing healthy volume growth in what is an emerging product area. With consumers increasingly looking to be healthier and more active, this is driving volume growth of sports drinks. There is also a cohort of…

In 2023, albeit from a relatively low base, sports drinks in Estonia experienced healthy growth in retail volume terms and fast growth in retail current value terms. The development and growth of the category was primarily driven by the increasing…

Though value sales are still relatively low for sports drinks in Georgia, it is expected to register healthy volume growth in 2023, in what is an emerging product area. However, distribution is still limited and sports drinks are mainly sold in…

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…