Malaysia

Retail volume sales of sweet spreads declined significantly in 2023. Sweet spreads such as jams and preserves, as well as nut and seed based spreads, are mainly consumed with bread for breakfast, with local consumers preferring artisanal bread with…

With consumers having returned to normal, busy lifestyles and COVID-19 related restrictions having been lifted, dining out was once again a popular option for consumers in 2023. In the midst of hectic schedules, consumers only cooked at home…

Despite increased competition from other payment methods, pre-paid cards retains the potential for growth as Malaysia continues to shift towards a cashless society. With the use of cash in long-term decline, a trend accelerated by the Coronavirus…

Around the world, a rising number of consumers are looking to cut down on their consumption of meat due to concerns about health, the environment and animal welfare, and manufacturers are increasingly targeting this trend with new product…

Financial cards and payments in Malaysia in 2023 exhibited significant continuation with 2022 in terms of the direction of travel in the post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) period. The strong moves towards a cashless society in Malaysia, pushed by the…

Olive oil saw retail volume sales decline in 2023 at the same time as witnessing current value growth as unit prices continued to rise significantly. Most of the brands operating in the category, including Bertolli, Colavita, Naturel, and Filippo…

Wider acceptance is boosting the use of personal debit cards in Malaysia. The rising popularity of personal debit cards underpins the growth in the number of cards and volume and value transactions. The increased numbers of POS terminals is widening…

The resumption of daily routines as the country emerges out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has sparked spending on both personal and commercial credit cards. In 2023, the number of commercial credit cards in circulation is rebounding, following…

Consumers continued to dine out more often in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis in 2023 as the return to busy lifestyles left them with limited time to cook from scratch at home and drove down in-home consumption. However, consumers continued to…

Charge cards continue to struggle to appeal widely, and consumer demand is set to remain relatively low at the end of the review period. This situation is confirmed by the limited supply of charge cards from banking institutions in Malaysia. Indeed,…

Towards the end of the review period, many local consumers took out personal loans to cope with higher financial burdens. Malaysian banks have offered personal loans with more flexible repayment plans and more appealing terms when required. The…

In 2021 and 2022, many local consumers used personal loans when faced with unplanned expenses or a personal financial emergency. Malaysian banks were very active in offering personal loans to individuals, providing flexible repayments and offering…

Sales of womenswear registered a second year of robust growth in 2023, with current value sales edging even closer to pre-pandemic levels. As the country emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysian women became increasingly keen to socialise and…

A return to more active lifestyles fuelled growth in sportwear in 2023, with performance apparel and performance footwear, in particular, benefitting from the resumption of outdoor sporting activities. The reopening of the country’s borders to…

Menswear saw another year of healthy growth in current value terms in 2023, with sales exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The return of Malaysians to their physical offices supported demand in a number of product areas, with items such as men’s suits,…

Sales of jeans continued to see healthy growth in current value terms in 2023. Premium jeans remained the largest subcategory in terms of value, having continued to benefit from the presence of many established brands, including the iconic Levi’s…

Demand for hosiery improved significantly in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. The return of consumers to their physical offices boosted demand for sheer hosiery, as did an increase in the number of social outings, as tights tend to be…

Footwear registered a second year of double-digit growth in 2023, with sales exceeding pre-pandemic levels in current value terms. Sales of both men’s and women’s footwear were boosted by the return of consumers to their physical offices, at least on…

Compared to other areas of apparel and footwear, childrenswear saw relatively modest growth in current value terms in 2023. Sales of childrenswear were comparatively unaffected by the pandemic, as despite the lockdown, parents still needed to…

Sales of apparel and footwear saw dynamic growth in 2022, with constant value sales fast approaching pre-pandemic levels. As the country emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers became increasingly keen to travel, socialise and spend more time…