Eastern Europe

Volume sales of cheese are experiencing stagnation in 2023 due to its high price, which peaked in 2022 as a result of the rising cost of logistics and energy. Inflation pressure is improving in 2023; however, economic uncertainty prevails. Consumer…

Cheese recorded stagnant retail volume growth in Lithuania during 2023, although value growth was still exceptional in current terms as the impact of high inflation boosted unit prices and value sales significantly, albeit at a slower pace than…

In the face of rising prices, cheese consumption remains stable in retail volume terms as this product range remains a popular item in everyday cuisine. Its versatility is a key reason for such high demand, as it can be used in preparing various…

In response to the rise of competition from plant-based cheeses, dairy cheese producers in Poland are innovating with new flavours and types. Dublin Dairy has introduced 100g slices of Maasdam, a cheese known for its rich, sweet, buttery taste with a…

Cheese is experiencing the cross-category trend of value being supported by high prices, whereas volume is being suppressed by low consumer spending power in the inflationary context. The overall volume declines in cheese are also the consequence of…

The local cheese industry is facing challenges in 2023, as imported products are favoured by retailers. In February 2023, the Serbian government introduced an import duty of 30 dinars per kilogram of cheese to protect domestic production from the…

Retail volume sales of cheese continued to decline in 2023, albeit at a lower rate than the previous year. Growth was hampered by inflationary pressures, which made it harder for Slovak households to afford to consume the product on a daily basis.…

The cheese category is growing in volume and value terms. Inflation is driving the value growth of the category while the functional and health effects provided by consuming cheese are driving the volume growth of the category, where spreadable…

With cheese requiring a significant amount of milk to produce, the increasing prices of raw milk during 2022 caused cheese prices to rise significantly. Production has stayed relatively stable, but the price change caused a noticeable shift in…

The war has taken its toll on the local economy with disposable income in most households being squeezed. As a result, some price-sensitive consumers are downtrading when it comes to shopping for cheese. For instance, some consumers are shifting to…

The high inflation that prevailed in Hungary during 2022 and during 2023 led many consumers to make changes to their consumer habits in an effort to save money. This contributed to the significant shift towards more budget-friendly options that was…

Over recent years, second-hand shopping gained global traction, primarily among Gen Z. This trend has now transcended demographics, notably appealing to parents of small children. With Poland's ongoing cost of living crisis and the rapid growth of…

Romanian consumers are showing a tendency to be more frugal in the context of high inflation with rising prices for raw materials and final products. This was reflected in a slight deceleration of the volume trend in 2023, though growth remained…

Childrenswear is expected to see a further, and stronger, decline in retail volume sales and a moderate, but much slower, retail current value increase over 2023. There was some fluctuation or downsizing about the performance of the category overall.…

Despite a growing health consciousness among Bosnian consumers, chocolate remains a beloved treat in 2024. Dark chocolate, in particular, enjoys a reputation as a healthy indulgence, further solidifying chocolate's place in the snacking landscape.…

Chocolate confectionery is seeing similar sales growth in 2024 to that seen in 2023, with moderate growth in retail volume terms and stronger growth in current value terms. Despite inflation stabilising, the global jump in cocoa prices started to be…

Chocolate confectionery is expected to register solid growth in 2024, with value growth higher than volume growth as inflation has pushed prices up. The significant rise in commodity prices, production costs, and inflation in 2023 has had a…

Overall chocolate confectionery sales were close to stagnation in Eastern Europe in 2020, hit by the loss of impulse/on-the-go sales, fewer gifting occasions and disrupted holiday periods (Easter, Christmas) due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), negatively…

Chocolate confectionery in Estonia saw an increase in value terms, whilst volume sales declined in 2024. This reduction in volume in the year is attributable to reduced chocolate confectionery consumption as a result of price hikes due to elevated…

In 2024, chocolate confectionery in Georgia witnessed higher unit price growth in comparison to the previous year, underpinning stronger current value growth. Rising production costs put upward pressure on prices due to the expected shortage in…

Retail volume sales of sales of chocolate confectionery will see modest growth in 2024, following the flat performance of the previous year. Demand continues to be hampered by rising prices, driven by the mounting costs of cocoa, sugar, and other…

While 2024 is not a banner year for chocolate confectionery in Latvia, there are initial signs of stabilisation compared to the product area's performance in 2023. The inflationary pressures that spooked consumers in 2022 and 2023 have begun to ease,…

The market for chocolate confectionery in Lithuania is set to register modest growth in retail volume terms in 2024, in contrast to the static performance previous year. This is due mainly due a decline in the rate of inflation, which will increase…

Chocolate confectionery in North Macedonia has witnessed a more upbeat performance since 2023, with retail volume sales returning to growth following several years of decline. Indeed, consumer demand for chocolate confectionery remains steady in…

Chocolate confectionery saw solid volume in current value growth in 2024, with Ferrero Polska Sp zoo continuing to lead the field, albeit with a small loss of share to second ranking Mondelez International Inc.

Chocolate confectionery is maintaining its strong penetration across households in Romania in 2024, thanks to such products’ indulgent qualities and the sense of wellbeing which eating chocolate can bring. However, chocolate confectionery is also…

Chocolate confectionery is set to see significant current value growth in Serbia in 2024. The category faced a considerable rise in unit prices in 2023, with price growth slowing down a bit in 2024. Despite inflationary pressures, which encouraged…

Chocolate confectionery is seeing positive retail value sales in Slovakia in 2024, while volume remains in a slump. This situation is created by high unit prices and reduced consumer spending power. Added to which, we have seen soaring unit prices…

Chocolate confectionery is seeing steady growth in value and volume terms in 2024. Chocolate is often associated with mood enhancement and stress relief and as such it has remained extremely popular in 2024 as consumers pursue increasingly busy…

A challenging economic situation persists in 2024 caused by the high inflation seen in the past two years which has left consumers in the situation where they are battling with an increased cost-of-living while prices continue to rise. However, while…

The Ukraine’s chocolate confectionery market is seeing some degree of recovery in terms of retail volume sales in 2024, in growth that is continuing from 2023. This follows the severe drop seen in 2022 when war broke out. Mondelez Ukraine, which…

Consumer demand for cider/perry in Bosnia and Herzegovina tends to be highly volatile, given that this category is small within alcoholic drinks. In 2023, even minor changes and shifts had significant impacts on the category's performance. Following…

In 2023, the cider/perry category in Bulgaria witnessed strong growth in retail volume terms, thereby exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The development of this category is a result of the global trend towards low-alcohol and long drinks, especially…

In 2023, cider and perry in Croatia continued their upward trajectory, surpassing 2019 volume sales in both the off-trade and on-trade channels. This resurgence was primarily driven by the return of open-air socialising, concerts, festivals, and…

2023 saw a decline in cider/perry sales in Estonia. Although cider remains a popular beverage in foodservice during the summer, economic uncertainty in 2023 caused sales to suffer. Sweet options like Fizz and Kiss lost ground as consumers became more…

Cider/perry saw a rise in total volume sales in Hungary in 2023. Cider, a relatively new category in the Hungarian alcoholic drinks market, remains a small segment compared to beer, but is growing, in contrast to alcoholic flavoured/mixed lagers,…

Cider/perry grew well in Latvia during 2023 with the hot summer creating additional demand for this alcoholic beverage which is normally served very cold. Cider continued to gain back the losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic with the on-trade…

Volume sales of cider/perry plummeted in Lithuania during 2023 due to strong preference for alternatives. Consumers are put off from buying cider due to its high sugar content, a feature that even self-indulgent consumers tend to avoid. With…

Due to inconsistent consumer demand in North Macedonia, cider/perry witnessed volatility in sales over the review period. In 2023, cider/perry sales bounced back amid growing demand with double-digit volume growth and even stronger current value…

Cider/perry is a declining category, with a lack of interest or investment that could help stimulate sales. Due to falling demand, retail chains are reducing the shelf space provided for cider/perry, especially discounters, some of which have even…

Cider/perry in Romania has equally felt the impact of price increases and the high cost of living in 2023, as in other categories. However, volume growth rose slightly in the off-trade and on-trade, reflecting the increasing number of consumers loyal…

Cider/perry in Serbia continued to see strong and stable volume growth in total volume terms in 2023, although growth continued to come from a small consumer base. Cider is benefitting from a growing consumer base with healthier lifestyles fuelling…

Cider/perry in Slovakia continued to decline at a rapid pace in volume terms in 2023, following the withdrawal of major brands, including Pivovary Topvar’s Kingswood, and Budejovicky Budvar’s Somersby cider, in the previous year. This resulted in…

In 2023, cider emerged as the fastest-growing category of alcoholic drinks in Slovenia. Its increasing popularity can be attributed to the well-known health benefits of its ingredients and the high number of apples produced locally. Consumers are…

Price increases of cider/perry and the weak economic situation in the Czech Republic resulted in declining volume sales, whilst rising unit prices underpinned current value sales. The withdrawal of three key brands in 2022 continued to negatively…

Sales of cider/perry saw a steep decline in total volume terms in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This was both because of a more limited supply but also reduced demand. Furthermore, the category was not a priority for category leaders…

Smoking prevalence in Bosnia and Herzegovina has continued to decline throughout the review period, a trend that persisted into 2023, exerting a downward pressure on cigarette consumption. This decline is attributed to a growing number of…

Cigarette consumption in Bulgaria recorded a marginal decline in 2023. The switch to alternative products among younger adults, such as heated tobacco products and single use cigarettes, has become very popular over the last year. Millennials and Gen…

Despite continuously rising prices, cigarettes in Croatia saw a further increase in retail volume sales in 2023, albeit a moderate upturn and significantly slower than in 2021 and 2022. Croatia is one of the rare EU markets that is seemingly showing…

Smoking prevalence continues to decline in Eastern Europe, with retail volume sales of cigarettes also falling. Some consumers continue to try and cut down on their smoking or quit altogether for health reasons, brought into even greater focus by…