Serbia

As Serbians returned to pre-pandemic lifestyles in the latter half of the review period, retail volume sales of yoghurt and sour milk was pushed into decline. In 2023, consumers are still spending more time outside of the home and are enjoying eating…

Consumption of wound care is being stimulated by Serbians’ return to pre-pandemic lifestyles. As consumers spend more time outside their homes, the incidence of the kind of minor injury that requires wound care is rising. In addition, the health and…

Demand for wipes in Serbia has been supported by elevated hygiene standards since the COVID-19 pandemic. Though wipes registered double-digit current value growth in 2023, constant value sales were flat. Prices have been rising due to the soaring…

Wine volume sales in Serbia rose moderately in 2023, driven by higher consumption in on-trade establishments where volumes returned to pre-pandemic levels. Despite the boost in on-trade sales, demand through the off-trade also remained stable with…

Disposable income decline and growing prices are leading to a drop in retail volume sales of weight management and wellbeing in 2023. Economising consumers are visiting pharmacies to purchase necessary products, but, as consumers have become more…

The vitamins category saw a significant decrease in volume sales of both single vitamins and multivitamins in 2022, which is set to continue in 2023. According to trade interviews, in the first quarter of 2023 volumes declined by 30% compared with…

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In 2023, growing unit prices and strengthening economising trend led consumers to reduce their purchases while focusing on essentials. As a result, toilet care saw a decline in retail volume sales in all areas while overall retail value grew. Many…

Though current value sales of tobacco increased in 2023, constant value sales fell, as inflation continued to be high. Volume sales also only increased marginally.

Rising inflation has dampened volume sales of tissue and hygiene in Serbia. Higher logistical and raw material costs linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have also resulted in price increases. With the high costs of living…

The escalation in prices coupled with a decline in disposable income has adversely affected the sales of tea in 2023 within Serbia. Additionally, as consumers gravitate towards a return to their pre-pandemic lifestyles, spending more time outside…

Sweet spreads is facing a slowdown in retail volume sales in 2023, with Serbians returning to their pre-pandemic lifestyles and spending less time at home. Consumers are opting to eat fewer meals and snacks at home and are visiting foodservice…

Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks is set to see current value growth in Serbia in 2024. Meanwhile, stable volume growth is set to be linked to busy consumer lifestyles driving on-the-go consumption and consumers’ increasing tendency to…

With price hikes resulting in strong retail value growth, volume sales were challenged in 2023, leading to a retail volume decline in surface. Serbians focused on affordability and necessities, leading many to switch to cheaper brands or migrate to…

Sun care in Serbia experienced robust growth in 2023 driven by aggressive promotional activities by all major players, commencing as early as April and extending throughout the summer season. The exceptionally hot weather prompted Serbians to spend…

Sugar confectionery is set to see current value growth in Serbia in 2024. Meanwhile, rising volume sales of sugar confectionery are being supported by busy consumer lifestyles and a desire for affordable indulgence in the midst of hectic and…

Inflation continues to be high in 2023 and as such though staple foods is expected to register current value growth, both constant value and volume sales are expected to fall marginally. This fall in volume sales is also due to a declining…

The sports nutrition category is expected to see continued dynamic growth in 2023. As Serbians have returned to pre-pandemic lifestyles, they have spent more time outdoors and in gyms. Moreover, the experience of the COVID-19 crisis boosted consumer…

Sports drinks in Serbia witnessed a notable increase in volume sales attributed primarily to the expanding consumer base. The awareness surrounding sports drinks continues to grow, with a broader spectrum of Serbians, not just athletes, becoming more…

Spirits volume sales slowed down in 2023 with the on-trade responsible for most of the growth in Serbia. The on-trade sector is steadily recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and should see a full rebound in volume sales during 2024. With the rate of…

Soft drinks in Serbia faced significant challenges in 2023 due to a decline in disposable income. The economic downturn prompted Serbians to reassess their purchasing habits, focusing primarily on essential products. With price sensitivity on the…

The snacks market is set to see growth in both volume and value terms in Serbia in 2024. This is largely due to the return of consumers to their busy lifestyles, including increased opportunities for socialisation inside and outside the home and…

New regulations were introduced for e-vapour products in Serbia in 2023. Amendments to the Tobacco Law, effective from November 2023, established a new category for electronic cigarettes and associated products, regardless of their nicotine content.…

Skin care in Serbia continued to experience both volume and value growth in 2023, attributed to the introduction of new products, increasing consumer awareness, and the influence of social media. Leading players consistently innovate and enhance…

Depopulation in Serbia from 2021-2040 will be the result of the rising death rate and reduced births. Improved living standards and declining births will see ageing continue, with over a quarter of the population being 65+ by 2040. The rural…

Savoury snacks is set to see double-digit current value growth in Serbia in 2024. Hectic consumer lifestyles and the increase in on-the-go consumption are stimulating sales of savoury snacks in the Serbian market. However, with the cost of living…

Volume growth of sauces, dips and condiments has slowed slightly in 2023, but remains healthy as consumers look for more affordable options. Serbians are spending less time at home as they visit foodservice outlets more frequently, and are keen to…

Volume sales of Rx/reimbursement adult incontinence in Serbia remained stable in 2023. The ageing population is the main driver of category sales, as the elderly tend to experience incontinence issues later in life. In tandem, rising inflation and…

Retail volume sales of RTDs in Serbia enjoyed strong growth in 2023. As consumers spent more time socialising outside the home, they were drawn to buying convenient ready-to-drink options for on-the-go consumption. Spirit-based RTDs are experiencing…

Ready-to-drink (RTD) tea faces challenges due to soaring prices and a decline in disposable income among Serbians in 2023. As consumers prioritise spending on essentials, the demand for RTD tea diminishes. Consequently, producers of RTD tea curtail…

High inflation and a decline in disposable income hinder the further growth of RTD coffee in 2023. Despite this, RTD coffee maintains volume sales due to its growth potential in an unsaturated category. Key players like Nescafé face intensified…

Overall, rice, pasta and noodles is expected to register moderate constant value and minimal volume growth in 2023. However, the performance is not uniform across rice, pasta and noodles. While pasta continues to account for most value sales, it is…

In 2023, consumers focused on buying essential retail tissue products in Serbia, as inflation remained stubbornly high. Toilet paper faced robust volume growth and supported overall category growth, as it is considered a necessary product that cannot…

The digital revolution has been rewiring retail for years. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic accelerated this transition as e-commerce became the default setting for many housebound consumers. The crisis-inspired surge in e-commerce is leading to a…

Retail e-commerce continued to see more dynamic growth than offline retail in 2022 in current value terms with companies continuing to invest in setting up, expanding and improving their online presence. Local and international retailers have been…

Retail e-commerce in Serbia continued to see dynamic growth in 2022, even outpacing the sharp spike in growth seen in 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19. Retail e-commerce in Serbia has grown considerably since the start of the pandemic, with…

Retail adult incontinence remains a taboo topic in Serbia as people do not like to discuss incontinence problems, even with their relatives and friends. In general, retail volume sales are stimulated by the ageing population in Serbia, which already…

In spite of continuing high inflation, volume sales are expected to increase slightly and constant value sales are also expected to register a moderate increase. Processed meat continues to account for most volume sales, with chilled processed meat…

Processed fruit and vegetables is expected to be one of the better performing food staples in 2023, registering moderate volume growth. Consumers’ busy lifestyles supports volume growth. While growing fresh produce is a long-established tradition in…

Premium beauty and personal care in Serbia continued its impressive ascent in 2023, characterised by stable double-digit growth in retail value sales. This upward trajectory was predominantly underpinned by a strategic price increase strategy adopted…

While retail value sales were positively impacted by price increases, leading to double-digit growth, retail volume sales of polishes in Serbia were challenged. Price growth and the decline in disposable incomes led consumers to forgo the purchases…

Plant-based milk is expected to register healthy current value and volume growth in 2022. As yet, plant-based cheese and yoghurt do not register any discernible value sales, The growth is supported by increased allergies, such as lactose intolerance,…

Increasing authoritarianism and corruption are resulting in mass protests, although fiscal discipline is leading to better state finances. Economic momentum is slowing, owing to high inflation and reduced external demand, but foreign investment…

The increase in current value sales expected in paediatric consumer health in 2023 is mainly being driven by rising prices. Meanwhile, volume sales are being negatively impacted by consumers becoming more selective about what they buy. Waning…

The return of consumers to pre-pandemic lifestyles has triggered intensified competition with on-trade establishments. With consumers spending more time outside their homes and seeking on-the-go options, on-trade sales are experiencing slower growth…

The return to pre-pandemic lifestyles is encouraging on-the-go consumption of other dairy products. Retail volume sales of chilled dairy desserts and chilled snacks are both benefitting from this trend, since they are considered good snacking…

In 2023, oral care in Serbia continued to experience consistent volume growth, building upon the momentum seen in previous years. While the volume sales growth mirrored that of the previous year, the notable increase in value sales was primarily…

As COVID-19 fears subsided and restrictions were eased some non-grocery retailers saw a boost to sales, but especially those channels related to activities outside the home. For example, with consumers starting to travel home and abroad again there…

Nappies/diapers/pants in Serbia faces challenges from demographic and economic factors. The birth rate in Serbia continued to slow in 2023, reaching 0.5%, according to official national statistics, which was on a par with 2022 levels. The government…

Serbian women are generally quite conservative with regards to menstrual care. Sanitary towels remain the most popular product, whilst menstrual cups and reusable pads are available but remain a niche. Moreover, some consumers consider re-washable…