Sweden

The yoghurt and sour milk landscape is a mature one in Sweden. Inflation and increasing production costs hiked up the unit prices in 2022 and continued to do so at the beginning of 2023. Players reacted to the new demands as consumers began comparing…

Writing instruments saw a decline in volume terms in 2023, following the sluggish performance of the previous year. While writing instruments remain essential in schools, they are less used in offices and universities. As technology involves,…

Wound care continued to see positive, yet modest growth in retail volume terms in 2023. The category saw an notable increase in demand in 2021 and 2022, as life returned to normal following the pandemic. With people spending more time outside the…

In 2023, the performance of womenswear will exhibit the same dynamics as the overall apparel industry, recording a decline in retail volume sales, while current retail value is set to remain positive, primarily driven by inflation and rising unit…

In 2023, retail value sales of wipes registered a moderate rise. Inflation drove up retail prices of wipes in 2023 as manufacturers faced rising costs from energy, raw materials and imports. Cost inflation, increased input prices, supply chain…

Wine total volumes remained flat in Sweden in 2023. While off-trade volume sales registered a marginal decline, there was significant growth in on-trade volumes, which continued to recover and finally exceeded pre-pandemic levels. With consumers…

Weight management and wellbeing is small compared to categories such as sports nutrition, vitamins, and dietary supplements. While obesity is a major health issue in Sweden, consumers typically try to battle their weight problems by other means,…

There has been an increased focus on healthy tech that supports physical and mental health since the pandemic with many consumers keen to keep track of their fitness and health vitals. This continues to support demand for wearable electronics while…

Vitamins saw exceptional growth during 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to a strong consumer focus on preventive health and a desire to boost the functioning of immune systems. This exceptional growth meant limited growth…

2023 was a great year for video games in Sweden which was mainly thanks to the successful launch of several highly popular video games titles such as Hogwarts Legacy, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Zelda. Subscription rates also rose with many gamers seeing…

Vending in Sweden was one the channels that was heavily hit by the mobility restrictions implemented to stem the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country. When all of the COVID-19 restrictions were removed through 2022, the…

In common with many areas of consumer appliances, vacuum cleaners registered a fall in volume sales in 2023 having experienced a notable increase in demand during the COVID-19 crisis. With consumers spending more time at home during the pandemic,…

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on travel patterns in Sweden, with domestic tourism surging as the country faced travel restrictions and remaining strong even as its borders reopened. With all travel restrictions abolished in 2022, travel…

Traditional toys and games continued to see steady growth in current value terms in 2023 with consumers remaining willing to invest in gifts and treats for their children despite the challenging economic situation. When it came to the purchasing…

Traditional and connected watches registered a marked slowdown in growth in current value terms in 2023, when set against the previous two years, which saw sales bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Value growth was driven largely by inflation and…

STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) toys remained highly popular within traditional toys and games in Sweden in 2023. This surge in popularity has been driven by parents seeking educational alternatives to screen time. Integration of…

Inbound travel to Sweden has made a swift recovery in 2023, with the number of trips expected to return to pre-pandemic levels. The volume of trips made by foreign tourists was very modest in 2023, following the dynamic increases seen in 2022. All…

A continued rise in retail price points is attributed to inflationary pressures driven by higher input and operational costs. With inflation remaining elevated throughout 2023, households exhibit heightened price sensitivity. This results in a shift…

In 2023, tobacco in Sweden witnessed steady growth in retail volume and current value terms, although rates have slowed down year-on-year. Retail volume sales of cigarettes and smoking tobacco continued to plummet in Sweden, while cigars and nicotine…

Retail value sales of tissue and hygiene grew in 2023, underpinned by rising retail price points. In retail volume terms, price increases dampened the magnitude of volume growth rates relative to value.

Total volume sales of tea are projected to decline over 2023, although there is a significant shift from retail to foodservice as consumers resume pre-COVID-19 lifestyles. Black tea, the biggest category, is mature with relatively low new product…

Despite already seeing growth in packaging volumes in 2020 and 2021, sweet spreads continued to see an increase in volumes in 2022, although at a slower rate. While many consumers returned to work, school and social lives, they continued to lead more…

Sweet spreads registered static retail volume growth in 2023 as the category continued to experience a rebalancing of growth rates after the rollercoaster ride that volume sales were on earlier in the review period. Specifically, demand for sweet…

Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks is set to see current value growth in Sweden in 2024. As the economy was hit with a recession, Swedes went into money saving mode. In this environment, the private label segment gained share, putting brands…

Recycling, reducing food waste and reducing plastics are well-established green habits in Sweden, creating a solid opportunity to develop Zero Waste products. The Can Be Recycled claim would be welcomed by consumers, with over a quarter identifying…

In response to a high inflationary environment and cost-of-living pressures, households are placing a paramount focus on price value in their surface care choices. Manufacturers are addressing this by employing attribute bundling in their product…

Supermarkets in Sweden were at the forefront of the battle against inflation surges in Sweden towards the end of the review period. This is unsurprising as supermarkets is the highest-value channel within grocery retailers in the country. In 2023,…

Sunglasses in Sweden is one of the most dynamic categories in eyewear. Since the post-pandemic boom in sales, volume growth slowed in 2022 and 2023, but momentum is building in 2024. The strong premiumisation trend coupled with inflation continues to…

Sun care in Sweden continues to bask in positive developments, fuelled by a return to travel and a warm, sunny summer in 2023. While weather fluctuations can impact consumption patterns, the overall trend towards sun protection remains strong.…

Sugar confectionery is set to see current value growth in Sweden in 2024. The competition in sugar confectionery is intense, forcing players to be innovative and responsive to ongoing consumer trends. One interesting value-added sugar confectionery…

Street stalls/kiosks continued to see positive value growth in 2023, largely due to Sweden’s continued high inflation rate, which led to price increases. As a result of the economic downturn and high costs of living many locals chose not to eat out…

Store cards are registering further decline in terms of both the number and value of transactions in 2023 as they are perceived to be old-fashioned, plus other financial card types and instruments offer greater flexibility. In contrast to credit…

In 2023, staple foods in Sweden witnessed several key trends, influenced by consumer preferences, economic factors, and the ongoing health and wellness movement. Staple foods, including rice, pasta, and noodles, which saw a strong uptick in demand…

Despite facing a high degree of maturity, in 2023, sportswear will continue to display faster growth than the overall apparel and footwear industry. Sportswear performed relatively well during COVID-19, with consumers taking an even larger interest…

Sports nutrition continued to see positive growth in constant value terms in 2023. The culture of going to the gym plays a significant role in generating demand for these products, as such venues also serve as important points of sale. As lives…

Off- and on-trade volume sales of sports drinks fell during 2023. The category was hampered by low company engagement and a lack of new launches. Only a few sports drinks were available widely, which also limited purchases of such products. All…

Spirits saw a decline in total volume sales in Sweden in 2023. As in other categories of alcoholic drinks, spirits saw growth in the on-trade channel during the year, while off-trade volume sales fell. A key constraint on the development of spirits…

Spectacles in Sweden continues to display solid retail volume and current value growth boosted by rising unit prices and inflation. The ageing population along with lifestyle changes, such as greater exposure to digital screens, is boosting demand…

In soft drinks as a whole, metal beverage cans was recording increasing unit volumes and was gaining share in 2023, which is expected to continue over the forecast period. Metal beverage cans have continued eating into the share of PET bottles, which…

Overall, off-trade volume sales of soft drinks in Sweden were stable at the end of the review period, with only a marginal increase projected over 2023 as a whole. However, this was in part due to a level of stabilisation, following…

Snacks is set to see current value growth in Sweden in 2024. Volume sales are expected to stagnate during the year, with volume growth hard to come by due to already high per capita consumption of snacks in general and market maturity. Nonetheless,…

Sweden continues to invest in its unique ‘harm reduction’ policy in efforts to try to reduce smoking cigarettes. Indeed, the country’s low smoking rate is widely reported in the international media. In 2022-2023, there was a clear increase in vaping…

Small local grocers in Sweden form part of the very well-developed grocery retailing infrastructure in the market. However, grocery retailing continued to be dominated by major large modern retailers like ICA, Lidl, Coop and Axfood at the end of the…

In 2023, sales volumes of small cooking appliances continued to fall, having seen a strong rise in demand in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic brought forward demand for small cooking appliances with volumes and, to some extent,…

Retail volume sales of sleep aids saw a modest decline in Sweden in 2023, in contrast to the buoyant pattern of growth seen during the earlier years of the review period. The rate of growth was particularly high during the pandemic, when high levels…

Skin care continues to be a bright spot within beauty and personal care in Sweden in 2023. While volume growth has shown signs of slowing down after a period of rapid expansion, strong trends in premiumisation and inflation have kept value sales…

The weaker economy in 2023 has led many consumers to restrict spending on eating out and self-service cafeterias are equally feeling the impact. Inflation has remained high in 2023, leading to higher prices in self-service cafeterias, which is…

Savoury snacks is set to see current value growth in Sweden in 2024. There is a large selection of savoury snacks in the Swedish market, taking up lots of shelf space. The competition is fierce and in the challenging economic conditions seen in the…

COVID-19 boosted demand for sauces, dressings and condiments packaging during 2020, as it led to consumers spending more time at home and preparing and eating more meals there. This boosted demand for a number of pack types in this category. While…

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Sweden, fears of contracting the disease and restrictions on mobility in the country led to an increased interest in home cooking. Sauces, dips and condiments consequently saw dynamic growth in packaging…