Romania

Consumer lending in Romania for the year 2023 portrays a nuanced landscape influenced by several key factors. The confluence of increasing interest rates, high inflation, and the geopolitical context shaped by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has…

The growth in credit card transactions is slowing down as a result of persisting inflation and escalating consumer prices, prompting a return to higher levels of budget-consciousness and financial uncertainty. Economic instability has led to reduced…

Online payments have seen a significant surge in popularity, continuing through 2023, with an increasing number of e-commerce transactions being finalised through online payment methods. Electronic direct transfers and ACH (Automated Clearing House)…

Romania lags behind in financial inclusion compared to other nations, showcasing a lower uptake of basic financial services, primarily due to a trifecta of factors: low financial literacy levels, a significant grey economy, and a widespread…

Pre-paid cards are experiencing significant growth in 2023, encompassing a surge in the number of cards in circulation, the volume of transactions, and their overall value. This surge is primarily attributed to the remarkable growth potential…

The performance of cooking meals and ingredients during 2023 was influenced by the impact of food price rises over the rate of inflation for many basic food products, which hiked the cost of living for consumers. The high cost of living had a…

The projected drop in retail volume sales of edible oils over 2023 is due to price hikes. The prices of sunflower seeds hiked due to the war in Ukraine and a prolonged dry season, alongside higher manufacturing and retailing costs driven by fuel and…

Projected retail volume growth for some categories of meals and soups in 2023 is boosted by the total lifting of Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions since 2022. This has led to a return to the office for employees for whom many of these products…

The decreases in retail volume sales of sauces, dips and condiments in 2022 and 2023 owed much to the lifting of Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in March 2022. This was underpinned by the return to eating out and out-of-home social, leisure and…

The higher costs of raw ingredients, glass packaging, energy and logistics weighed significantly on the high increases in prices of products on retailers’ shelves. As a result, there is expected to be only a very marginal rise in overall retail…

Bread continues to hold a central role in baked goods in Romania, acting as a traditional and indispensable component of meals. The performance of baked goods in 2023 closely mirrored the trends observed in the bread product area. Despite the…

The growth in the volume sales of breakfast cereals in 2023, despite significant price increases, can be attributed to reduced price sensitivity among mostly higher-income urban professionals. This demographic group, committed to a healthy lifestyle,…

The volume decline experienced by the category in 2023 can be primarily attributed to the surge in the average unit price at the shelf, driven by persistently high inflation and an overall rise in food prices that outpaced inflation. The enduring…

The persistently high inflation in 2023 has significantly diminished the purchasing power of the majority of the population. This financial strain has been further exacerbated by the escalating average shelf prices of processed meat and seafood,…

The volume growth in the category in 2023 can be attributed to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, effectively putting an end to stockpiling behaviours during the pandemic. The convenience of easy cooking and the ability to store products for…

In the backdrop of sustained high inflation in Romania in 2023, the resulting high cost of living significantly impacted the retail sales of basic food products, defining the landscape for staple foods during the same year. Analysis of statistics and…

In 2023, the main drivers of growth for the bottled water landscape were consumers' reluctancy to drink tap water and the tradition of mineral water in the country. Nevertheless, the declining purchasing power in 2023 was reflected in a slowdown of…

Carrying the stigma of being unhealthy, off-trade sales of carbonates continued to decline in 2023. However, the on-trade channel has continued to record a positive performance, recovering from the impact of COVID-19, with consumers enjoying their…

Concentrates saw low levels of volume growth in 2023, being a mature landscape with little room for growth. In addition, due to sugar content, concentrates are not always perceived as healthy products, and the rising interest in health and wellness…

As interest in more active lifestyle grows, and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions has increased movement, energy drinks has seen a positive performance in 2023. Aggressive promotion, both offline and online, is also contributing positively to the…