Western Europe

Within the inflation crisis, processed fruit and vegetables has seen volume sales decline slow, largely thanks to the resurgence of home cooking. This trend has been further bolstered by the prohibitive costs of fresh counterparts. The year 2023…

Breakfast cereals faced severe challenges from the economic and regulatory framework in 2022. On the one hand, the supply chain crisis, including the tight global supplies of raw materials due to the war in Ukraine, forced manufacturers and retailers…

Breakfast cereals is showing signs of stagnation with only moderate growth being seen in retail volume terms in 2023, with continuously increasing prices being the main contributor to value growth in current value terms. Both manufacturers and…

Italian consumers are increasingly including breakfast cereals in their diets. The growing interest in breakfast cereals is being underpinned by a number of factors, with the demand for convenient meal options in the context of hectic consumer…

Sales of breakfast cereals have remained relatively steady over the last couple of years of the review period in retail volume terms. Breakfast cereals has, however, seen stronger growth in current value terms in 2023 with prices continuing to rise…

In 2023, Belgian breakfast habits have undergone a notable shift with a pronounced inclination towards home consumption amidst the ongoing strain on disposable incomes. As such, breakfast cereals is seeing a rise in demand, recording positive volume…

The performance of baked goods has been particularly hit by the supply chain crisis, as wheat shortages are putting severe pressure on production costs. The expiration of the Black Sea corridor deal in July 2023 has fuelled further delays in the…

Despite the uncertainties arising from Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and the delicate nature of the grain corridor deal between Russia and Ukraine, the prices of baked goods are increasing at a slower rate in 2023 compared to 2022. In an effort to…

Fresh unpackaged bread still accounts for a dominant proportion of volume sales in the leavened bread category. The main drivers of choice in this area are taste and freshness, which are important in bakery products because fresh products are…

Baked goods in France have shown some resilience over 2022/2023 with bread in particular remaining an essential part of the French diet, seeing growth in both current value and volume terms. Prices have risen due to an increase in both energy costs,…

Following a noticeable increase in unit prices in 2022, 2023 began with a trend towards stabilisation, especially within leavened bread. This stabilisation has directly influenced volume sales, transitioning from a pronounced decline to a modest…

Womenswear continued to see positive current value growth in 2023, although this was mainly driven by inflation and retail price increases. Inflationary pressure began to surge in 2022 following the start of the war in Ukraine. Consumer confidence…

Even though consumers have relied more on credit to afford higher retail prices in 2023, due to the economic situation in the country, store cards have continued to decrease in popularity, with declines expected in terms of cards in circulation, and…

Sportswear value sales continued to rise in 2023, although much of this growth was driven by inflation and price increases. Consumers have made cut backs on sportswear, as in many other major categories, as disposable incomes are squeezed. Danish…

Pre-paid cards is set to see a solid performance in 2023, while other card payment methods, such as charge cards and store cards, are set to decrease significantly, and others are set to see slower growth, such as debit cards. One of the factors…

Menswear continues to see buoyant current value growth in 2023, although this is mainly driven by price rises as inflation remains well above average in Denmark. Consumers have been making cutbacks on men’s apparel leading to a small decline in…

Retail volume sales of jeans were pushed into decline in 2023, as demand was stifled by price increases and the high cost of living. Denmark’s inflation rate soared in 2022, alongside many other European countries, pushing up costs and the retail…

Hosiery witnessed an increase in current value growth in 2023 fuelled by price rises, but this only lowered consumer confidence forcing cutbacks on these products, alongside other apparel. The category was heavily impacted by COVID-19 as women spent…

Footwear is struggling to recover from the harsh impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with retail volume and current values sales still below pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Although 2021 brought a renewed interest in footwear with consumers returning to…

In 2023, the UK’s economy has continued to be characterised by a high inflation rate and a rising cost of living. And, while in 2022 this situation was mainly exacerbated by the high cost of energy, in 2023 this cost has gradually started decreasing,…