Hungary

The leading market players' sales figures showed that customers preferred products that supported the immune system during the pandemic. This demand continued during 2023, with Actimel retaining a prominent position in the drinking yoghurt market.…

As occurred in 2022, wound care is set to post moderate growth in current value sales in 2023 but contract in volume terms. These results are explained by persistently high inflation in Hungary, which has continued to erode spending power among…

The high inflation that swept through Europe during 2022 and 2023 led to significant price increases across all categories of womenswear. Initially, the steep price increases that flowed from high inflation put downward pressure on demand for…

In 2023, wipes recorded high levels of double-digit retail value growth in Hungary, driven by rising price points. As such, while the overall retail value was positive, retail volume levels were challenged. Personal wipes, moist toilet wipes, baby…

Total volume sales of wine fell slightly in Hungary in 2023. However, during the year, sparkling wine volume sales continued to grow, finally exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Sparkling wine consumption, traditionally reserved for celebrations and…

Although weight management and wellbeing is set to register another solid performance in terms of total current value sales growth in 2023, this is largely due to steep price hikes resulting from persistently high inflation in Hungary. With the…

Activity watches (analogue) were increasingly popular and recorded the highest volume growth in 2023 as these products are readily available and consumers prefer them to other activity bands without displays and traditional watches as they offer…

Vitamins is set to record negative results in volume and current value terms for the second year in a row in 2023. While overall consumption of these products in Hungary surged during the early stages of the pandemic due to increased…

Sales in vending were being supported in Hungary in 2023, due to the number of vending machines increasing. Vending is seen as a beneficial model for retail, as it does not require a cashier to serve the customers, thus cuts down on labour and…

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…

The Hungarian travel market has performed positively on the whole in 2023. Inbound, outbound and domestic trip numbers have increased strongly and come closer to their pre-pandemic levels, with diminishing concerns about COVID-19 and the ending of…

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…

The global urban consumer landscape is increasingly complex and difficult to navigate. Which cities should you choose for your consumer business expansion? To answer this and other questions, we are introducing the Euromonitor International Cities…

Retail value sales were positive in 2023, recording double-digit growth aligned to rising price points. This led to retail volume declines for all areas besides toilet liquids/foam. Toilet liquids/foam remained the most popular product format for…

Tobacco in Hungary saw a decline in volume terms overall in 2023, attributed to several and various factors. Despite price hikes that remained below the annual inflation rate, the market's largest segments struggled to stem the fall. Volume sales of…

In 2023, the tissue and hygiene landscape in Hungary was impacted by high levels of inflation and rising prices, resulting in double-digit retail value growth. However, retail volume levels were challenged, with consumers adapting their purchasing…

Tea continued to experience significant price increases in 2023, mirroring the trend observed across other hot beverage categories. While coffee remains a staple in Hungarian households, tea is often perceived as a seasonal beverage primarily…

Retail sales of sweet spreads continued to see positive growth in volume terms in 2023, with chocolate spreads leading the way. Here, Nutella (Ferrero) was by far the dominant player, with smaller contributions from a host of private label…

In 2023, sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks continued to be impacted by temporary shortages of grain and other agricultural commodities, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Sweet biscuits and cereal bars suffered the most from these…

Aside from kitchen and window/glass cleaners, all product categories of surface care recorded a decline in retail volume in 2023. Thanks to wider product availability and growing interest in more frequent window cleaning, sales of window/glass…

Supermarkets saw a decline in value sales in Hungary in 2023, following the positive performance seen in 2022 as the channel benefitted from the normalisation patterns following the era of the pandemic. In 2023, however, the channel is being affected…

Sun care products have traditionally been viewed as seasonal items, primarily associated with summer. However, in recent years, the season for sun protection usage has expanded significantly. Springtime now presents substantial UV exposure risks,…

Sugar confectionery saw a mixed performance in 2023, with volume growth rates varying according to subcategory. With food inflation running at record levels, retailers focussed on rationalising their product portfolios in favour of their best-selling…

Street stalls/kiosks run by entrepreneurs and small businesses were among the most vulnerable players within consumer foodservice in 2023. The sales performance of street stalls/kiosks is highly dependent on changing traffic patterns, the weather and…

There are currently no store cards in circulation in Hungary. Magyar Cetelem Bank stopped offering store cards in 2008 and no retailers have since signalled any intention to relaunch such services. Instead, retailers are collaborating with banks to…

Overall retail volume sales of staple foods in Hungary are set to decline for a third consecutive year in 2023, with the contraction projected to be slightly deeper than that recorded in 2022. Demand continues to be depressed by rapidly rising prices…

During 2023, substantial growth was witnessed in demand for football-related sportswear among the population of Hungary. More extensive media coverage of the national team's performances and the expansion of football stadiums across the country have…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Retail volume sales of snacks in Hungary saw a fairly flat performance in 2023. While growth was buoyant in current value terms, this was due to massive inflationary pressures, rather than any real upturn in demand. With Hungary having been added to…

Smokeless tobacco, e-vapour products and heated tobacco in Hungary in 2023 expanded in terms of volume and current value sales. By autumn 2023, all major international tobacco manufacturers had entered the heated tobacco market, with Japan…

Small local grocers saw robust value sales in Hungary in 2023, driven by the rise of urbanisation, busy consumer lifestyles, and the convenience which small local grocers offer due to their proximity benefits. Whilst small local grocers have also…

Retail volume sales declined in 2023 due to the rising cost of living and inflation, with many consumers cutting down on purchases of products they felt were unessential, such as small cooking appliances. As such, instead of purchasing new small…

While sleep aids is poised to record strong growth in current value sales in 2023, this is mainly due to price hikes amidst high inflation fuelled by the global recovery from COVID-19 and the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With inflationary…

Skin care in Hungary is witnessing a notable transition from age-related specifications to problem-focused solutions, addressing issues like acne, redness, hyperpigmentation, dark spots, uneven skin tone, and atopy. With an increasing number of…

Self-service cafeterias made price adjustments of between 20-30% during 2023, as soaring inflation pushed up the costs of vital ingredients, such as meat and pasta. Simultaneously, heightened labour and energy costs further contributed to this…

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…

The ongoing war in Ukraine created a number of challenges in 2023. In particular, there was a shortage of critical packaging materials, such as glass and aluminium. Extreme weather conditions placed further pressure on supply chains, with scarcities…

In 2023, Rx/reimbursement adult incontinence was on the rise in Hungary, fuelled by the ageing population, which led to increased and ongoing use of the products. In a time of rising inflation, consumers were increasingly attracted to reimbursement…

RTDs saw a rise in total volume sales in Hungary in 2023. The category was more exposed than most as rapidly rising inflation led Hungarians to exercise greater caution in their spending decisions, as these products are comparatively expensive, and…

RTD tea sales in Hungary faced significant challenges in 2023 due to rising prices and the non-essential nature of these products. Despite the potential for growth, RTD tea remained highly reliant on player support, constant innovation, and seasonal…

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…

As is the case across staple foods in Hungary, unit prices in rice, pasta and noodles have continued to rise dramatically in 2023 amidst persistently high inflation resulting from the devaluation of the forint and factors linked to the global…

In 2023, retail value sales of retail tissue were double-digit in Hungary, driven by ongoing inflation and price hikes. Consumer purchasing behaviour changed in line with the economic downturn, driving interest in more affordable, economy retail…

Retail in Hungary continued to be influenced by inflationary factors in 2023, with the double-digit hikes continuing (and even increasing from) the previous year. Moreso, Hungary is reported to be experiencing one of the highest sets of hikes across…

Retail e-commerce was a fragmented category in Hungary in 2023, with the leading brand being Media Markt (Media Markt Retail Cooperation Kft), followed by eMAG Marketing (Extreme Digital - Emag Kft). However, Media Markt is the only name holding a…

In 2023, retail value sales of adult incontinence goods in Hungary recorded double-digit growth while retail volume growth remained positive. Rising awareness surrounding adult incontinence further supported volume sales, with more consumers…

There was a slight decline in retail volume sales noted in refrigeration appliances in 2023, with sales of freezers falling. These products significantly consume energy, and with the substantial price increase seen in 2023, most consumers were not…