United Kingdom

Despite continuing headwinds, including erratic weather patterns and economic fluctuations, value sales of gardening in the UK recorded a substantial increase in 2023 following a decline the previous year, prompted by consumers prioritising home…

Depilatories in the UK recorded a rise in value sales for a second consecutive year in 2023. Women's razors and blades, which recorded 3% value growth, was the main driver behind this performance, although this was mostly driven by inflation and…

Vending in the UK was significantly disrupted by the pandemic as vending machines predominantly target closed sites such as academic institutions, hospitals and businesses, which also experienced a substantial decrease in footfall. The channel fully…

Despite increased competition from discounters and warehouse clubs, which offer low-cost products appealing to the elevated number of price-sensitive consumers in 2023, hypermarkets in the UK maintained positive sales growth. Amid the cost-of-living…

2023 presented quite a mixed picture for the cannabis industry in the UK. While growth continued, there was also a modification regarding the future expectations of development within the local market. In CBD & other non-intoxicating cannabinoids,…

Maintaining its positive performance from 2022 and 2023, gum in the UK continues to enjoy positive growth in both volume and value terms in 2024. The category, which suffered significant losses during the pandemic due to limited time spent outside of…

Dishwashing in the UK recorded strong single-digit value growth in current terms in 2023, owing to the continued dynamic performance of automatic dishwashing tablets. The latter’s growth is mainly because using a dishwasher is deemed more convenient,…

Demand for headphones in the UK continues to grow, with the category recording 10% retail volume growth in the first half of 2024. TWS earbuds remains the standout performer, with both the mass and premium segments recording dynamic growth in a…

After a strong performance in 2023, when sunglasses in the UK recorded high single-digit volume growth and double-digit value growth, 2024 is expected to be more of a cautious year for the category as a whole. The dynamic growth witnessed in 2023 was…

Volume sales of wine in the UK declined in both on-trade and off-trade channels in 2023. On-trade was impacted by the high cost of living as many consumers reined in their spending and reduced their frequency of visits to pubs, bars and restaurants.…

Total volume sales of beer in the UK declined in 2023. However, while off-trade volume sales continued to stabilise following the boost which came as a result of the pandemic, leading to another marginal dip in 2023 via this channel, at-home…

Supermarkets in the UK was the only grocery retail channel in 2022 to witness value sales decline, in a year characterised by soaring food prices, skyrocketing cost of utilities, high inflation, and a cost-of-living crisis, which all contributed to a…

Due to high inflation towards the end of the review period, resulting in elevated prices of goods and services, consumers became increasingly price conscious, supporting the second consecutive year of value growth for discounters in the UK. As…

Demand for polishes in the UK continued to decline in 2023, in line with the category’s general pre-pandemic trend. The ongoing decline continues to be exacerbated by greater mobility outside of the home, as consumers spend more time in the office or…

The shift in consumer preference towards preferring experiences, and products that provide experiences, such as travelling, or purchasing a home, rather than owning things, is continuing to have a negative impact on sales of jewellery in the UK.…

Retail volume sales of cigarettes in the UK declined by double digits in 2023, even though smoking prevalence experienced a limited drop. The main reason behind the highest decline in legal cigarette sales in the last decade was the significant unit…

Eyewear in the UK is expected to continue to record single-digit retail volume and current value growth in 2024, albeit at marginally slower rates than the previous year. Eyewear in the UK witnessed a relatively quick recovery after the decline seen…

2023 presented various challenges for the global retail landscape in the UK. The lingering effects of the pandemic, combined with economic and geopolitical instabilities, created a climate of uncertainty for local consumers, resulting by an undynamic…

Following strong growth and value recovery in 2022 from the pandemic’s impact, fragrances in the UK recorded another solid performance in 2023. Key growth drivers include the ongoing premiumisation trend along with inflationary price hikes, thereby…

In 2023, soaring inflation rates, an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, low consumer confidence and limited spending subdued the retail industry in the UK. Consumers continued to downgrade product purchases to mitigate the negative effects of the…

Bleach continued to register declining retail volume sales in 2023, with overall demand falling in comparison to previous years, as UK consumers are favouring multipurpose cleaners with disinfectant properties. Due to the cost-of-living crisis,…

The global supply chain crisis has heavily impacted snacks in the UK. Since 2022, the local industry has experienced strong price increases, driven by the shortages of raw materials such as cooking oils, wheat, cocoa, sugar, and milk, adding to the…

After experiencing negative sales in 2022 due to post-pandemic conditions, such as the reopening of borders and consumers resuming normal habits, tobacco in the UK recorded positive low value growth in 2023. This growth was mainly driven by rising…

In stark contrast to many other alcoholic drinks categories, RTDs in the UK recorded a positive performance in 2023. Growth was seen in both off-trade and on-trade channels, with the latter experiencing a more dynamic performance than the dominant…

Volume sales of deodorants in the UK rose for a second consecutive year in 2023. According to Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey (fielded June to July 2022), 34.5% of UK participants indicated that hygiene and…

Spirits in the UK experienced another weak performance in 2023, recording both on-trade and off-trade volume declines. Sales via the on-trade channel were negatively impacted by high cost of living and the desire among local consumers to save money,…

Spectacles in the UK continued to witness positive growth in 2023 offset by the ramifications of the pandemic. At the same time, value growth was driven by average unit price increases in line with inflated energy prices. While both value and volume…

Wipes in the UK grew by 9% in current value terms in 2023, with all types recording a positive performance except for toilet care wipes and deodorant wipes as a result of low volume demand. While overall value growth was sustained by demand for some…

After several years of volume declines, demand for mobile phones in the UK is marginally improving in 2024. The category has faced challenges such as market saturation and economic uncertainty, where consumers have hesitated in making discretionary…

Overall demand for colour cosmetics in the UK stagnated in 2023, while value sales continued to grow. In 2022, inflation in the UK surged to 9.1%, due to the aftermath of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. While this rate slowed in 2023, further…

PET jars, which have long since become the main pack type in this category, continued to gain share in nut- and seed-based spreads in 2023. PET jars are valued for their shatterproof and non-reactive properties, ensuring the safety of the contents.…

Demand for overall portable players in the UK remains positive, driven by the dominant category of wireless speakers. Local consumers are increasingly interested in and attracted to different portable audio solutions such as wireless speakers, while…

As with many other alcoholic drinks categories, total volume sales of cider/perry in the UK marginally declined in 2023. Cider/perry in the off-trade channel is quite mature, and following a boost from pandemic-related restrictions, demand continued…

Skin care in the UK experienced solid growth in both value and volume terms in 2023, as unit price rises were accompanied by a growing consumer appetite for skin care products. This was a shift away from 2022 when the category experienced a marginal…

Men’s grooming in the UK recorded a second consecutive year of positive volume growth in 2023 due to greater mobility outside of the home and local consumers becoming increasingly open to experimenting with their grooming habits. On the other hand,…

Flexible plastic accounts for the greatest pack type share in baby food packaging in the UK. This low-cost, compact pack type is ideal for small, convenient baby food packages, particularly in categories such as “other baby food”. This category…

Persistent challenges of inflation and ongoing supply chain disruptions that characterised 2023 are still being observed in pet care in the UK, although unit price growth is starting to slow. Multinational pet food companies face ongoing obstacles…

Demand for home insecticides in the UK remained relatively stable in 2023, but very undynamic, as many of these products are considered to be of relatively little importance to consumers. Home insecticides are very season-dependent, as flying insects…

In-car entertainment in the UK continues on its declining trajectory across the category – in-car navigation, in-car speakers and in-dash media players. Both volume and value sales recorded double-digit declines in the first half of 2024, reflecting…

Demand for consumer electronics in the UK continues to grow, reversing a negative volume trend witnessed over the previous three years. Higher value growth is being driven by further unit price rises, as inflation and production costs remain…

2023 witnessed another year of double-digit price increases for ice cream in the UK due to persistent cost pressures in raw materials, such as milk, sugar, edible oils and cocoa beans, key ingredients in the category’s production, combined with the…

Despite a slowdown in the unit price growth of dog food in the UK, influenced by a reduction in energy and electricity costs, manufacturers and suppliers are still passing on some costs to end consumers. Challenges resulting from key commodities such…

Amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, local consumers turned to direct selling in the UK as a way to augment their household earnings. Data released by the UK’s Direct Selling Association (DSA) revealed a significant surge in the number of people…

Inflationary pressures in 2023 marginally eased when compared to the previous year, but continued to exert strong influence on demand for retail tissue in the UK. Sales mostly rebounded in the second half of 2023, although not sufficiently to avoid…

Retail adult incontinence in the UK continued to record a dynamic performance in 2023. Overall demand for these products was based on several different factors, such as an ageing consumer base, increasing awareness, and greater availability in terms…

Nappies/diapers/pants in the UK experienced positive retail volume growth in 2023 across the category. These products are deemed essential, ensuring stable demand, despite prices soaring. However, with birth rates in the UK gradually falling, growth…

Menstrual care in the UK experienced growth in both volume and value terms in 2023. Continuing on from its strong performance in 2022, the category’s current value growth in high single digits was only marginally below the previous year. As inflation…

Self-service cafeterias continued to record a positive performance in terms of value sales and transactions in 2023, despite the closure of some chained outlets, such as House of Fraser and Asda. Self-service cafeterias continued to experience a…

Video games in the UK returned to value growth in 2023, following a marginal decline the previous year. The category experienced a surge in growth during the pandemic as many local consumers turned to video games as a form of entertainment when they…

PET bottles are the leading pack type in the UK soft drinks packaging market due to their durability and affordability, with PET bottles also expected to continue being the most widely used packaging format over the forecast period. PET bottles are…