Hungary

Growth in the number of outbound departures from Hungary in 2023 looks set to be well down on the previous year. This is mainly explained by the ongoing normalisation of travel flows following the strong rebound over 2021-2022 that resulted from the…

A low tax burden adds to Hungary’s economic freedom, but corruption remains an issue and state finances are under pressure. Economic performance has outpaced peers and unemployment is low, but inflation remains very high and will adversely impact…

Volume sales of imaging devices again fell by a fifth in 2023 and value sales also registered decline. Continuing advances in smartphones’ cameras are leading to continual decline in imaging devices, to the extent that some smartphones can meet the…

Cylinder vacuum cleaners remained the largest category among vacuum cleaners in 2023. Most consumers in the country own a powerful cylinder vacuum cleaner at home, with many using them sparingly when wanting to do a complete and thorough cleaning of…

Built-in dishwashers benefited from the increasing need for convenient appliances in households, especially for consumers with new kitchen builds that want new appliances to integrate. Built-in dishwashers are increasingly selected over freestanding…

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…

With the merger of Takarékbank and MKB Bank, a new financial service provider was formed, MBH Bank. MBH Bank leads in the personal and commercial segments, including current accounts and debit cards, and is especially dominant in smaller towns and…

Sports nutrition has remained one of the best performing areas of Hungary’s consumer health market in 2023, with strong double-digit growth in total current value sales projected and all categories poised to register impressive results in volume…

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…

The international price of raw milk decreased in 2023, which resulted in a slight price compensation for sour cream and other dairy products. Besides, in order to break sanctioned inflation, the government introduced a new anti-inflation tool, which…

Hungarians traditionally pay close attention to foreign exchange rates when planning trips abroad, particularly summer holidays, as fluctuations can cause travel expenses to increase significantly in a short period of time. This was the case…

Retail volume sales of savoury snacks saw continued growth in volume terms in 2023, thanks to the low cost of many of the products within the category. Lifestyle changes also had a positive impact on demand for snacks, including the ongoing trend…

Hungary's beauty and personal care market witnessed several notable trends in 2023 with these reflecting evolving consumer preferences and demographic shifts. First, the ageing population played a significant role, driving demand for specialised…

Health and beauty specialists is a channel which has been affected by cross-category trends in Hungary in 2023. Specifically, the impact of high inflation has led to a growing presence of private label options, thus, to meet the needs of…

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…

The previously robust growth of energy drinks in Hungary experienced a slowdown in 2023. This slowdown is primarily attributed to the significant increase in prices for food and beverages, which prompted consumers to reduce their purchases of…

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…

Microwaves gained positive retail volume sales in 2023, driven by several factors. Firstly, these appliances were offered at significantly lower prices when compared to other major appliances, not impacted as significantly by price hikes during the…

Despite its low base and strong initial development, RTD coffee experienced a slowdown in growth, even a slight decline in 2023, due to price hikes implemented in 2022 and 2023. Financial instability prompted consumers to reduce expenses on…

Regular cola carbonates, as a product area, experienced a more moderate decline in sales volume than non-cola carbonates in 2023, despite significant price increases. This can be attributed to the enduring popularity of cola flavour among consumers…