Western Europe

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…