Western Europe

Over the review period, eye care continued to benefit from the growing demand for products that can soothe eye fatigue, which is mainly resulting from extended exposure to digital devices, mainly computers, smartphones, TVs and tablets. Sales…

The dishwashers category witnessed a fall in volume sales in 2023 as it saw some normalisation following the spike in demand witnessed as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, which encouraged consumers to focus spending on their homes and increased the…

A shift in spending from goods to services following COVID-19 impacted sales of dishwashers in 2023, with many consumers deprioritising household purchases. Furthermore, the spike in sales noted during the COVID-19 pandemic led to lower need for…

In 2023, the demand for digestive remedies across different categories was relatively stable. The increasing prevalence of symptoms of acid or gastroesophageal reflux have been supporting retail volume and current value sales of proton pump…

Most areas of dietary supplements continued to grow in volume and current value terms in 2023, albeit generally at quite modest rates, particularly in volume terms. Sales have been hit by the saturated nature of dietary supplements as well as the…

Dermatologicals again registered positive current value growth in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous years. The most dynamic category – hair loss treatments – continued to post strong growth. There are several reasons supporting the demand…

Cough and cold remedies were recording see high single-digit growth in current value terms in 2023, with sales benefiting from the large number of cases of cold and flu in the 2023/2024 season. Furthermore, value sales were also being boosted by unit…

Some consumers are switching back to contact lenses after wearing spectacles during the outbreak of COVID-19. Daily disposables are becoming more popular for occasional use, while monthly and 6-month lenses are still the most popular for everyday…

Consumer health in Germany was recording moderate current value growth in 2023. While OTC was performing better than vitamins and dietary supplements, it was being outperformed by categories such as sports nutrition and weight management and…

The consumer appliances market in Sweden saw volume sales fall in 2023, following higher demand during the COVID-19 crisis when consumer spending was much more focused on the domestic environment. While the decline in volume sales seen in 2023 was in…

There was a continued fall in retail volume sales during 2023, linked to rising inflation and declining disposable incomes, with consumers prioritising essential purchases. As such, many Norwegians placed the purchases of big-ticket items on hold,…

Childrenswear in Germany is expected to continue to see current value growth in 2023, given the high inflation rate and resultant price increases. Nevertheless, volume sales are set to decline, reflecting the cost-of-living crisis and low consumer…

In Germany, inflation and interest rates have remained high in 2023, and real GDP has remained relatively flat, negatively affecting consumer spending and demand for non-essential goods such as fashion items. Despite the expectation of an increase…

Volume demand for apparel accessories is expected to see a notable decline in 2023, demonstrating a shift in behaviour from German shoppers. Although the pandemic is over, changes in consumer behaviour have remained. The need for apparel accessories…

Consumption of analgesics continued to increase in Germany during 2023, after the demand spike in 2022, a year in which consumers were often experiencing flu and colds in the post-pandemic period and therefore OTC medicines, such as analgesics, were…

Air treatment products stood out in the Swedish consumer appliances market in 2023 as the category registered a rise in volume sales despite a challenging economic climate, characterised by an increasing cost of living from higher interest rates and…

Increases in retail price levels were seen in 2022; the results of higher input cost, with spikes in prices for raw materials, logistical challenges and rising labour costs. However, while costs remained high in 2023, retail price increases were…

Retail volume sales of vegetables in the UK continue to decline in 2023, primarily due to severe product shortages. For instance, there was a major shortage of vegetables in February and March 2023. For several weeks, products such as tomatoes,…

In 2023, vacuum cleaners in Germany was seeing rising demand for robotic and smart models. As households increasingly integrate smart home ecosystems, these cutting-edge, autonomous cleaning devices have become integral to the modern German…

Following a sales slump in 2022, standard vacuum cleaners continued to struggle with a decrease in volumes in 2023. This resulted largely from the fact that 2020 and 2021 had been good years for the category. The era of the pandemic led to consumers…