Western Europe

Colour cosmetics continued to show double-digit growth in current value terms in 2023 in line with the previous year. While face masks were still worn in many situations in 2022, they were discarded by most people in 2023 as all remaining…

Beauty and personal care in Italy saw high single-digit growth in current value terms in 2023, with sales favoured by being a year without major disruptions, with 2022 being affected by various negative events. These included the prohibition of…

Bath and shower saw strong growth in current value terms in 2023 but this was mainly due to significant price increases from most players. Soaring inflation led to a substantial increase in production costs which was subsequently reflected in the…

Baby and child-specific products continued to see current value growth in 2023, following on from the recovery seen in the post-pandemic period, with growth supported by the strong price increases seen across the various categories. With high…

In 2023, Sweden’s economy contracted slightly, with a decline in private spending and housing investment. However, the economy is projected to improve in 2024, with a forecast compound annual growth rate of 1.7% over 2023-2028. Furthermore, inflation…

In 2023, Spain’s economy demonstrated a degree of resilience, with real GDP growth of 2.5%, outperforming the Western European average, despite the environment of geopolitical instability, high inflation and elevated burrowing costs. However, a…

In 2023, the Netherlands’ economic growth decelerated, due to subdued private expenditure and a drop in exports. However, the economy was supported by increases in public spending and gross fixed capital formation. Despite the slowdown in economic…

In 2023, Portugal’s economy grew by 2.2%, outperforming Western Europe’s average, supported by increases in private spending, public consumption, and a thriving tourism industry. However, a slowdown is expected in 2024, due to a challenging external…

In 2023, Turkey’s real GDP growth slowed to 2.8% amid tight financial conditions and surging inflation, but it outperformed Western Europe’s average growth. Furthermore, Turkey’s inflation levels decreased to 53.9% in 2023, following a change in the…

Continued high inflation and a weak local currency negatively impacted video games in Turkey in 2023. Though current value sales increased, constant value sales fell significantly. Also, a notable trend in 2023 was the shift from mobile games to…

The market for video games in the Netherlands saw healthy growth in current value terms in 2023. Video gamers are, in general, not significantly influenced by inflation and therefore continued to support the category despite the difficult economic…

In spite of continuing high inflation in Turkey, traditional toys and games registered healthy current value growth. The best performing segment was dolls and accessories and this was in part boosted by the launch of the Barbie movie in summer 2023.…

Traditional toys and games in the Netherlands registered only modest growth in current value terms in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. Consumers felt the pinch of inflation and as such, were more cautious with their spending. While…

In terms of toys and games in Turkey in 2023, though current value sales increased, constant value sales fell. While inflation eased, it continued to be in the high double-digits, and this cut into profit margins. After the elections of May 2023,…

The market for toys and games in the Netherlands saw continued growth in current value terms in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than the previous year. This was driven primarily by video games, both hardware and software. Video gamers are, in general,…

Ireland’s real GDP contracted in 2023, primarily due to subdued foreign demand, which negatively affected export-focused industries, and sluggish private investment. In 2024, Ireland’s economy is projected to rebound, underpinned by a robust labour…

In 2023, Greece’s GDP growth slowed to 2.2%, but outperformed Western Europe’s average. Economic growth was driven by private spending, gross fixed capital formation, and a resurgence in tourism, although it was hindered to some extent by sluggish…

In 2023, France’s GDP growth slowed to 0.7%, underperforming Western Europe’s average, weighed down by high inflation, stringent financial conditions and sluggish public consumption. The country’s economic growth is projected to pick up in 2024,…

In 2023, Switzerland’s GDP growth slowed to 0.7%, dragged down by subdued private investment and public consumption. Following this deceleration in 2023, the Swiss economy is projected to grow by 1.2% in 2024, primarily driven by domestic activity.…

In 2023, Denmark's real GDP growth slowed to 1.4%, yet outperformed the Western European average. Despite a rise in private spending and exports, the economy was hindered by sluggish public consumption and increased interest rates. Over the forecast…