Malaysia

Following reopened borders and lifted restrictions in 2022, Malaysia's retail sector witnessed a surge in consumer revenge spending throughout the year. However, starting from the second quarter of 2023, the trend showed signs of decline as consumer…

As of August 2023, dengue cases were up 117% year-on-year, bringing the total cases to 73,680 from January to August 2023, compared with 39,769 cases in the same period in 2022. By September 2023, cases had risen to 88,672, with a massive surge in…

Standard towels maintained their popularity in menstrual care in Malaysia in 2023, thanks to their affordable prices and good protection. Despite the rise in demand for added-value options in tissue and hygiene (eg eco-friendly products, etc.),…

Direct selling in Malaysia showed resilience during the pandemic, particularly in the case of companies specialising in health and wellness products. Seeking ways to stay healthy, local consumers increasingly turned to health supplements and…

In 2023, the Malaysian consumer foodservice market saw the continued strengthening of the country’s coffee drinking culture, which provided a notable boost to the performance of the specialist coffee and tea shops channel during the year. The end of…

Sales of soft drinks in Malaysia are generally benefitting from the rebound of tourism and foodservice in the post-pandemic landscape. For example, fountain sales are accelerating for carbonates and RTD tea, supported by the growth of hotels in the…

Sales in energy drinks are only seeing modest off-trade growth, as the category has a fairly limited consumer audience and faces competition from other soft drinks. On the positive side, the revival of domestic and international travel helps to…

Off-trade volume sales in concentrates are relatively stable, thanks to the baseline demand for liquid concentrates in households in Malaysia. Indeed, liquid concentrates are especially in demand with large families, as they are perceived to offer…

Colourings, markers and highlighters were the most dynamic categories in writing instruments in 2023 with sales of these products thriving. This was partly due to a flurry of new product launches as players looked to benefit from the returning demand…

Both costume jewellery and fine jewellery registered weaker growth in 2023 both in retail volume and current value terms. Demand was impacted by the rising inflationary pressures being faced by Malaysians with most households seeing a significant…

Demand for dishwashers in Malaysia has been heavily influenced by the reduced presence of expatriates, who traditionally constituted a significant customer segment for this appliance. The adoption of remote working policies by businesses, both local…

The leading chained players in discounters have been eyeing potential expansion opportunities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the improved situation has made it easier for them to justify greater investment in outlet growth. Players have…

Overall polishes maintained growth in retail volume and current value terms in 2023, with increases seen across all categories. However, lifestyle and fashion trends continued to militate against the development of polishes. For instance, younger…

Laundry care maintained retail volume and current value growth in 2023. Although other types of laundry detergents saw stronger increases in this year, powder detergents continued to account for the highest sales. Powder is a popular format of…

Post-pandemic the demand for refrigeration appliances has dropped in Malaysia, largely thanks to the decrease in purchases of freestanding fridge freezers, a segment that had previously seen significant growth. The decrease was a result of a…

Fountain sales and on-trade volume growth are supported in RTD tea, in part due to the expansion of hotels in Malaysia, such as the Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur, INNSiDE by Meliá Kuala Lumpur, and Courtyard by Marriott Melaka. It has become the norm for…

On-trade volume and fountain sales in carbonates are being supported by developments in foodservice and hospitality channels. For example, as seen with the growth of hotels in the country, such as the Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur, INNSiDE by Meliá Kuala…

In 2022, sustainable packaging was gaining traction across industries in Malaysia. As an illustration, 10 fmcg companies united under the Malaysian Recycling Alliance (MAREA), committing themselves to recycling 5,000 tonnes of plastic waste by the…

On-trade volume sales for tea recorded double-digit growth in Malaysia for the second consecutive year in 2023, with a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels predicted for 2024. At the beginning of 2023 local consumers more fully returned to offices…

We note a trend towards premiumisation in retail tissue in 2023 in Malaysia. This is evidenced by Vinda Deluxe (Vinda Malaysia Sdn Bhd) continuing to grow its share. This player uses strong marketing and promotional campaigns across online platforms,…