Ireland

The overall performance of other pet food in Ireland is supported by growing interest in the keeping of small mammals as pets. The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) has revealed a doubling in the number of small mammals…

Other hot drinks witnessed divergent trends in Ireland. On the one hand, the biggest category, chocolate-based flavoured powder drinks, suffered from the health and wellness trend. On the other hand, malt-based hot drinks and “other” plant-based hot…

2023 saw demand for fromage frais and quark begin to decline for the first time in four years, which can be seen as a balancing of demand after several years of robust performances in the category. Fromage frais and quark consistently outperformed…

In 2023, oral care in Ireland showcased positive results, with rising retail volume growth in areas such as dental floss, mouthwashes/dental rinses, tooth whiteners, and toothpaste. Despite the economic conditions, oral health remained important to…

The pandemic period led to unhealthier lifestyles for a large number of Irish consumers, with some returning to smoking regular cigarettes as retail outlets selling vapes and other alternatives were closed. The stress and anxiety related to the…

Nappies/diapers/pants in Ireland witnessed only marginal volume growth in 2023, with newborn nappies/diapers and standard nappies/diapers both seeing declines. The long-term trend of falling birth rates is reducing demand for nappies, especially for…

Menstrual care in Ireland registered solid volume growth in 2023. Together with the necessity status of these products, the continued expansion of the female population aged 12-54 ensured overall demand remained stable. There has been fairly…

In 2023, the economic situation limited growth for men's grooming in Ireland. Irish consumers suffered from high inflation and declining GDP growth, eroding their purchase power. Consequently, many consumers moved away from purchasing male-specific…

During 2023, ready meals in Ireland experienced a surge, stimulated by innovative product offerings. Among these, The Gym Kitchen's Beef Lasagne and Tesco's Beautifully Balanced Chicken & Sweet Potato Katsu Curry stood out for their unique selling…

In 2023, economic factors have shaped the performance of mass beauty and personal care in Ireland. High inflation, rising prices in energy and transport, and a declining GDP growth have all had an impact on sales, with shrinking disposable incomes…

The available lodging for tourists has declined in 2023 as compared to 2019. The reduction in capacity is a direct result from the government’s reliance on tourist accommodation to house those seeking refuge, followed by new legislation impacting…

In 2023, limited-service restaurants in Ireland played a significant role in overall foodservice, contributing 32% share to total value sales. Limited-service restaurants not only recovered to 2019 sales levels in 2022, reaching a recovery index of…

In 2023, laundry care saw a decline in retail volume growth as retail value sales were bolstered by rising inflation and high price points. Furthermore, as hygiene concerns diminished following COVID-19, Irish consumers were returning to pre-pandemic…

Off-trade volume sales of juice were under pressure in Ireland in 2023, largely due to the health and wellness trend. Irish consumers were more conscious of the nutritional aspects of their drinks. Thus, the high sugar content of juice counted…

Ice cream in Ireland in 2024 is recovering, having been one of the snacks categories most severely impacted by inflationary pressures. The heightened cost of milk, sugar and cocoa, key ingredients in ice cream production, led to high single0digit…

Hypermarkets struggled in Ireland in 2023, due to a variety of factors. One such is the fact such stores, being large in size, were strongly affected by the hikes in energy bills and associated utilities. This made it challenging for hypermarket…

According to the Health Service Executive (HSE), only 13% of Irish children fulfil the national physical activity recommendations, with at least one in five children being overweight or obese. Due to increasing concerns surrounding the topic, the…

Functionality has been the defining trend within soft drinks in 2022, with products being fortified with ingredients such as vitamins and zinc. Post-pandemic trends have led consumers to look for improved nutrition to support their immune system and…

The Irish health agenda, alongside post-pandemic health awareness behaviour, has drastically changed snack purchasing habits among local consumers. In December 2021, the new HFSS (High Fat, Salt and Sugar) rules were unveiled by the Advertising…

Despite Ireland remaining loyal to its tea-drinking heritage, exemplified by positive performances for Barry’s Tea and Lyons in recent years, local consumers are following health and wellness trends and shifting towards fruit/herbal tea, as the…

Irish dairy products are perceived as offering exceptional quality across the world, with a high rate of exports among local products which strengthen the Irish dairy brand perception – Ireland has been classified as the EU’s leading exporter of…

The pandemic strengthened an already growing health and wellness trend within cooking ingredients and meals in Ireland. The HFSS (High Fat, Salt and Sugar) regulations, which were unveiled in December 2021 by the Advertising Standards Authority for…

The lingering economic effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis have been exacerbated by high inflation towards the end of the review period. This has exerted strong upward pressure on product prices and the cost of living, which tempered demand,…

Home products specialists saw stagnant growth in Ireland in 2023. This is attributed to the boom in home improvements over the pandemic lockdowns, which has since eased off. Added to which, inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis are…

Retail value growth recorded double-digit sales in 2023, driven by rising price points and ongoing demand for insecticides. In 2023, Ireland's summer was the fifth warmest on record. This created conditions conducive to the spread of insects,…

In 2023, consumer purchasing habits were shaped by rising inflation and the increased cost of living, with unit prices rising in home care. Consequently, while overall retail value growth was positive, driven by price increases, retail volume sales…

Consumer demand for health products made from natural ingredients is already well developed in Ireland, and this trend supports sales of herbal/traditional products in 2023. Consumers tend to use these products for minor ailments, but will shift to…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

Sales in health and beauty specialists slumped into a negative performance in Ireland in 2023, following a positive pattern in 2022. We note that the 2022 growth was primarily driven by the growing health and wellbeing and preventative health trends,…

Hair care in Ireland recorded positive retail value sales in 2023, while retail volume recorded growth in areas including colourants, conditioners and treatments, and shampoos. With high inflation and negative GDP, disposable incomes decreased. This…

Gum in Ireland is recording marginally positive retail volume sales growth in Ireland in 2024, following on from a pattern set in 2023 when inflation impacted consumer spending. Pressures remain in 2024 even though inflation has slowed somewhat.…

The performance of general merchandise stores in Ireland in 2023 was being supported by the positive trajectory of department stores. There was a strong rebound in department stores in 2022, following the disruptions seen during the era of the…

In 2023, full-service restaurants in Ireland played a pivotal role within the broader foodservice market, contributing 30% share to total value sales. Full-service restaurants rebounded to 2019 levels in terms of value in 2023, achieving a recovery…

In 2023, fragrances in Ireland recorded double-digit retail value growth due to rising inflation. However, despite price rises and negative GDP shrinking the average disposable income, premium fragrances performed better than their mass counterparts…

Eye care category sales continue to post relatively solid retail volume growth in 2023, despite the high costs of living that is putting a squeeze on consumption in Ireland. Many people are still regularly working remotely and frequently choosing to…

Energy drinks is projected to continue to see strong off- and on-trade volume growth over 2023. Consumers increasingly looked for drinks that can help them to give the best of themselves. The penetration of energy drinks in Ireland remained quite…

The Irish population’s experience of the significant trend towards health and wellness has increased health consciousness and had a profound impact on consumer preferences within edible oils. Consumers have displayed a growing understanding of and…

After steep increases in the price of milk amidst high inflation during 2022, 2023 saw milk prices in Ireland experience a notable decline. The average unit price of drinking milk products had reached unprecedented levels by the end of 2022 and a…

Dog food in Ireland is expected to continue to face challenges over 2024, marked by slow retail volume growth. This is attributed to dog population constraints in conjunction with inflationary pressures. The Dublin Society for the Prevention of…

Many consumers consider dishwashers an essential home appliance in Ireland, with many aware of the eco-benefits of using dishwashers above hand washing. In addition, many consumers look to use dishwashing products more sustainably, waiting for a full…

Discounters maintained growth in Ireland in 2023, thanks to offering affordable goods to price-sensitive consumers. Indeed, discounters continue to expand their ranges of products, thus, to appeal to a wider range of consumers who are seeking…

Direct selling remained in a relatively steep slump in Ireland in 2023, due to strong competition from a variety of other shopping channels which offer wider ranges of goods at lower prices – both online and offline. Added to which, inflationary…

Digestive remedies is one of the most stable consumer health categories in Ireland, but the lack of innovations and breakthroughs over the review period is posing a limitation to growth. Even new product launches are rare in this category, with the…

Healthier lifestyles and a focus on immune system support are the key drivers of dietary supplements sales in 2023. Concerns surrounding COVID-19 led more Irish consumers to start taking dietary supplements on a regular basis as a preventive measure…

Dermatologicals is seeing solid current value growth in 2023, driven in part by higher retail prices. The category is benefiting from a return to normal daily lifestyles following the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers’ skin is being more exposed to…

Depilatories in Ireland in 2023 recorded a positive performance, with hair removers/bleaches and women's razors and blades showcasing positive retail volume and value growth. Poor economic indicators with shrinking disposable incomes and high…

Following a strong performance in 2022, deodorants in Ireland continued to record positive retail value and volume sales in 2023. While price increases supported strength in retail value, volume sales remained positive in deodorant creams, pumps,…

2023 saw pressure on demand across all categories of dairy products and alternatives in Ireland as the high inflation that swept across Europe during 2022 continued, albeit at a lower rate. This led to volume sales declines across most categories of…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies are enjoying strong growth in 2023 as the category continues to recover from the sharp declines seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Flu, common coughs and colds and seasonal allergies in the Irish…

The war in Ukraine continued to impact cooking ingredients and meals in 2023 by affecting the availability and prices of key ingredients, particularly sunflower oil and seeds. Irish food manufacturers have assessed the medium-term effects of the…