Western Europe

Sales of nappies/diapers/pants in Spain have been influenced by the country's low birth rate since 2017. Spain has reported one of the lowest birth rates in the European region, ranking below the European average and only above Italy. In fact,…

The year 2023 saw a notable trend of broad increases in retail price points for nappies, diapers, and pants in Norway. This surge was primarily driven by cost inflation across various aspects of production, including energy, material sourcing,…

In 2022, the Spanish government took a step to address menstrual poverty by announcing a general tax reduction from 10% to 4% on all menstrual care products, which came into effect in 2023. However, despite these efforts, the category faced…

In 2023, menstrual care in Norway witnessed a notable increase in retail prices. This surge can be attributed to rising input costs for manufacturers and retailers, including expenses related to material sourcing, rental overheads, and salary…

Away-from-home tissue, being a B2B (business-to-business) category, faced challenges associated with the fluctuating costs of cellulose in the market. Many contracts in this category are made well in advance, often a year or more, and are based on…

The years 2022 and 2023 witnessed a significant escalation in unit prices across away-from-home tissue and hygiene, primarily driven by inflationary pressures. Rising input costs, including energy, materials, labour, and logistics, compelled…

Value sales growth of wipes in the Netherlands continued to be significant in 2023, driven by high increases in price. Underlying factors that led to price increases included high transport costs, high energy costs and increased costs of raw…

Consumers’ remained price-sensitive in Italy in 2023, which translates into the popularity of discounter stores for products such as wipes. Indeed, non-food discounter stores offer lower prices for many basic and essential products, which is notable…

Wipes in Ireland witnessed robust current value growth in 2023, aided largely by higher unit prices caused by inflationary conditions. In constant value terms, sales are now back on a par with pre-pandemic levels. The largest category baby wipes saw…

In 2023, wipes in Greece recorded a retail value decline, with retail volume declining in all areas apart from baby wipes. These declines were the result of higher price points and the rising cost of living, with consumers prioritising essential…

Despite being a mature product area, wipes in Finland continued to thrive in 2023, propelled by the enduring appeal of convenience. The price increase during the year prompted consumers to adopt a more discerning approach, carefully evaluating…

Vending saw strong growth in current value terms in 2023 for the third straight year with sales seeing an almost full recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Drinks and tobacco vending, the most important category, also saw strong growth in 2023. The return…

In 2023, consumers in Finland returned to normal lifestyles, with more citizens working in offices and travelling, and with more mobility, vending witnessed solid value growth to surpass pre-pandemic levels. Also, local “vending hubs” and their…

Tissue and hygiene struggled to grow in volume terms in 2023, with many threats on the horizon. This included high price increases, dampening demand, as well as threats from non-disposable categories in menstrual care and hygiene but increasingly in…

Tissue and hygiene continued to see healthy value growth in Italy in 2023, supported by inflationary pressures which have pushed up unit prices. Meanwhile, this same inflationary environment is causing price-sensitivity in consumers, thus, many…

Tissue and hygiene registered solid retail volume growth in 2023, reflecting the strong consumer demand for tissue and hygiene in Ireland. Overall consumption has lowered compared to 2022 levels, as demand patterns normalised within the tissue and…

In 2023, the tissue and hygiene landscape in Greece recorded double-digit retail value growth, driven by rising price points. However, the decline in disposable incomes influenced and shaped consumer behaviour in the tissue and hygiene market. While…

Tissue and hygiene in Finland witnessed a notable change in 2023, marked by a slowdown in price increases. However, the lingering effects of previous hikes left consumers highly attuned to costs, driving a preference for more affordable options. The…

Supermarkets is the grocery retailers channel with the highest penetration in Italy and it saw moderate growth in current value terms in 2023 as inflation started to show signs of stabilising, albeit prices continued to rise. Aside from the impact of…

In 2023, high inflation rates led to a second year of higher prices in supermarkets, which meant consumers in Finland had to be more careful regarding what they purchased. Even with inflation, current value sales declined in 2023, as consumers made…