North Macedonia

Air care overall recorded a decline in volume sales growth in 2023 as current value sales rose in response to rising unit prices. Inflationary pressures and diminished disposable personal incomes prompted many consumers tend to trade down to…

Despite the economic challenges and negative demographic trends in 2023, alcoholic drinks witnessed moderate total volume growth in North Macedonia. The rising number of inbound tourists boosted the performance of most alcoholic drinks categories in…

Analgesics continues to achieve strong value growth in North Macedonia in 2023 as a result of strong consumer demand for systemic analgesics, especially adult ibuprofen, adult acetaminophen and adult aspirin. Topical analgesics are outperforming…

In North Macedonia, public and private sector investments in away-from-home tissue and hygiene products remained stable in 2023, resulting in moderate volume growth. In combination with the significant price increases and the impact of inflation,…

High inflation continued to impact baby and child-specific products in North Macedonia in 2023. There was only a minimal increase in constant value sales, with volume sales falling marginally, as the birth rate continued to fall. Medicated products…

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,…

Baked goods achieves minimal volume growth as leavened bread, which is the most significant product range within the category, achieves modest retail volume growth in 2023. Consumer demand in retail volume terms continues to slow as a result of the…

It was a dismal year for bath and shower in North Macedonia in 2023, with both constant value and volume sales falling. Inflation continued to be high and the continuing rising costs cut into players’ profit margins. A declining population also led…

It was a muted picture for beauty and personal care in North Macedonia in 2023. Inflation was still high, though it eased somewhat. However, measures to contain inflation took their toll on consumption. As a result, while beauty and personal…

Beer consumption slowed in North Macedonia over 2023 although total volume sales held steady. With inflation remaining well above normal levels, current value sales grew in double-digits with high prices across all beer categories. The off-trade saw…

Bleach continued to see substantial volume sales falls in 2023, posting the deepest decline recorded across all of home care. Bleach suffers from drastically reduced population among local consumers, undermining demand. However, the category managed…

Tap water in most parts of the country remains suitable for human consumption and in certain areas is of excellent quality despite ongoing concerns about overall environmental pollution. However, as health and wellness trends continue to impact soft…

Muesli and granola and hot cereals are the two largest breakfast cereals categories whose performance tends to influence the overall performance of breakfast cereals in North Macedonia. Due to the moderate volume growth of these two cereal types,…

This report assesses the business environment in North Macedonia, focusing on the regulatory environment, stability of the financial system, FDI intake, labour market flexibility and skillset, trade openness, mobility infrastructure, ICT adoption and…

The butter and spreads category is seeing marginal volume decline in 2023 as inflationary pressures continue to take its toll. While margarine and spreads continues to decline in retail volume terms, butter is growing moderately despite the shrinking…

In 2023, carbonates achieved minimal off-trade volume growth as consumer demand was significantly impacted by the negative image that carbonates has gained amongst increasingly health conscious consumers, largely, though not entirely, due to the…

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…

Chocolate confectionery is witnessing a more upbeat performance in 2023, with retail volume sales returning to growth. There has been a significant number of new chocolate products launched in 2023, which has captured consumer interest and boosted…

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…

As was the case throughout the review period, cigarettes in North Macedonia saw retail volume sales contract in 2023 as smoking prevalence among the adult population continued to fall in line with rising health-consciousness. Having recently become…