Eastern Europe

Baby formula is expected to register constant and current value growth, but volume growth will be minimal. Georgia’s birth rate is falling and this is expected to dampen volume sales, in particular for milk formula and in particular for standard milk…

From October 2022, the government cut national support for milk formulas from 50% to 25%. This resulted in two-three times higher prices, with standard and special milk formulas having seen a rapid price increase during 2023. Many mothers still buy…

Baby food recorded further volume decline in 2023 as the birth rate in Latvia continues to decline. Also, price increases in the category have further weakened demand in 2023, depressing volume sales. Consumers have been preparing more food at home…

During 2023, baby food Lithuania registered moderate positive sales growth in retail volume terms, while value sales increased strongly as a result of inflation and subsequent unit price increases. The main reason for the positive developments in the…

Baby food is witnessing marginal declines in retail volume terms, due to the falling birth rate and negative population trends in Macedonia. The declining numbers of live births to Macedonian women in recent years has limited demand for baby food,…

Poland has been witnessing a continuous decline in its population since 2012, with the number of births in 2022 reaching a post-war low. According to the Central Statistical Office (GUS), in 2022, the number of births was estimated at 305,000, which…

Value growth in baby food is being supported by inflation and, thus, high unit prices in 2023, whereas volume is flat. Unit prices have been pushed up by the rising costs for transport, storage, and distribution logistics, in particular for baby…

Baby food is witnessing robust growth in retail volume and current value terms as consumers return to their pre-pandemic lifestyles. Parents are spending less time at home and therefore have more limited time for cooking children’s meals. At the same…

Retail volume sales of baby food in Slovakia saw a modest contraction in 2023. While the category was fairly resilient to the impact of price increases, due to the fact parents are accustomed to prioritising the health and wellbeing of their…

Milk formula is contracting in volume terms overall due to the declining birth rate and stronger promotion of breastfeeding. Much of the latter has been facilitated by the establishment of a special association that supports breastfeeding. There is…

Despite lower birth rates, growth in baby food is positive, with retail volume growth rising, despite the landscape seeing double-digit inflation throughout 2022. The increase in retail volume is aided by parents being back in the office, leading to…

Baby food suffered heavy losses in 2022 as large numbers of families fled the country following Russia’s invasion. The category’s recovery in 2023 continues to be limited by the significantly smaller consumer base for these products. Besides which,…

In 2022, dried baby food was only offered in three pack types: flexible aluminium/plastic, flexible plastic and folding cartons. However, flexible aluminium/plastic was the dominant packaging format in this category, as it is easy to open, reseal and…

While flexible packaging remained the most popular packaging format for overall baby food in 2022, driven by prepared baby food, board tubs displayed an increase in pack type share within the category for several reasons. Firstly, as board tubs are…

The lifting of travel restrictions post-COVID-19 has had a positive impact on luggage, backpacks, business bags and handbags with these subcategories, particularly luggage, registering growth in both current retail value terms, albeit at a slower…

Despite the prevailing inflation in Romania, bags and luggage continued to exhibit growth. Average unit prices surged in 2022 and 2023 due to increased costs associated with energy, raw materials, and other factors. This led many Romanians to opt for…

In 2023, baked goods achieved moderate volume growth due to the strong performance of leavened bread, which is gaining popularity and shaping the development of the baked goods category. Despite rising prices, overall consumption of baked goods has…

The consumption of baked goods declined in 2023 as bread sales continue to follow the negative trend seen in the review period. Per capita growth in bread is limited due to Bulgaria’s declining population, which is falling well ahead of other…

Following steep price growth in baked goods in 2022, wheat and flour prices stabilised in 2023. This is particularly important for bread as it is heavily dependent on flour prices. Croatians are strong bread consumers, and it was expected that volume…

Sales of baked goods in Eastern Europe recorded slightly slower real value growth in 2020 than a year earlier. Although the arrival of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the region saw consumers stockpiling certain products, this did not extend to bread in…