Retail volume sales of nappies/diapers/pants in 2025 reached 955 million units, marking a marginal decline of 0.1% from the previous year. In contrast, retail value increased to MYR954 million with 1% growth. This divergence between volume and value is primarily driven by increasingly discerning and quality-conscious consumers, who are willing to spend more per child as average household size declines and disposable income is channelled towards premium baby care.

Menstrual care delivered strong retail volume growth of 3% in 2025 to reach 2.6 billion units, while retail value surged by 7% to MYR1069 million. Despite a challenging economy, menstrual care in Malaysia grew ahead of many regional markets in Asia Pacific. Local performance is supported by government policies, such as the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programme, also known as MyKasih. Eligible consumers can redeem menstrual care products across modern and general trade outlets. The monthly a

In 2025, away-from-home tissue and hygiene in Malaysia experienced robust value growth, with the total value reaching MYR288 million, marking a 8% increase from the previous year. This performance outpaced previous years, supported by a consistent rise in both away-from-home hygiene and tissue subcategories. Malaysia’s performance is notable within the Asia-Pacific region due to the interplay of rising tourism, a high hotel occupancy rate, and an influx of international visitors, particularly f

Retail tissue in Malaysia achieved solid growth in 2025, with retail volume increasing by 3% to reach 66,338 tonnes while current value sales increased by 5% to MYR558 million. This growth is primarily attributed to consumers' heightened price sensitivity in the face of rising living costs and inflation, which stood at 1% in 2025. There has been a clear shift in shopping patterns, with more consumers waiting for promotions and buying in bulk via retail e-commerce platforms, such as Lazada and Sh

Wipes in Malaysia in 2025 continue to show solid current value growth, with retail sales reaching MYR430 million, up 6% from MYR407 million in 2024. This performance is supported by a combination of persistent hygiene habits formed during the pandemic and the increasing availability of affordable products, particularly via online platforms. Retail e-commerce plays a critical role in wipes, with Lazada and Shopee expanding the breadth of available brands and price points. Imported brands like Run

Tissue and hygiene in Malaysia witnessed moderate value growth of 5% in 2025 and outpaced inflation to reach MYR3,175 million. Robust consumer expenditure and the implementation of financial aid via the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) government initiative is driving growth. Malaysia's rising population and ageing demographic is expanding the consumer base and need for tissue and hygiene products. The retail landscape plays a pivotal role in driving growth, where leading brands maintain dominance

In 2025, retail adult incontinence in Malaysia demonstrated robust growth, achieving retail value sales of MYR165 million, up by 8%, in addition to 5% volume growth. This performance reflects strong underlying consumer demand for retail adult incontinence, although at a slightly moderated pace. The Malaysian market’s performance aligns with wider demographic trends in Asia-Pacific, where ageing populations are shifting demand away from nappies/diapers/pants towards adult incontinence products

Retail in Malaysia in 2025 is shaped by heightened cost sensitivity and a strong pivot towards affordability, leading to robust growth in value-driven formats and innovations in both physical and digital shopping experiences. Despite a slowdown in current value growth to 2% and a total value of MYR292,619 million, the landscape remains attractive for businesses able to deliver strong value propositions, leverage technology, and differentiate through experiential engagement. Competitive pricing,

Direct selling in Malaysia experienced a noticeable slowdown in value growth over 2025, rising by 4% compared to 7% in the previous year. The reduced pace can be largely attributed to intense competition from non-direct selling brands, particularly those offering mass-market products at significant price reductions. As a result, Malaysian consumers facing tighter budgets have gravitated towards more affordable alternatives, making high-priced direct selling items less accessible for many. The

In 2025, vending in Malaysia continues to deliver robust growth, with current value sales reaching MYR832 million, reflecting a 6% increase over the previous year. This performance outpaced both the wider Asia Pacific region and the broader retail landscape, as rapid urbanisation and the resultant fast-paced lifestyles led to higher adoption of vending solutions. Malaysia’s macroeconomic backdrop remained supportive, with real GDP growth of 4% and low inflation at 1%, contributing to a stable en

Appliances and electronics specialists in Malaysia witnessed a further decline in current value terms in 2025, with total sales reaching MYR41,638 million, down 3% from 2024. Despite a healthy economy, rising living costs led Malaysian consumers to postpone purchases of high-ticket appliances. A key factor was the removal of diesel subsidies, which pushed up food and transportation prices. Nonetheless, consumer expenditure as a share of GDP continued to climb, reaching 64% in 2025, indicating t

Apparel and footwear specialists in Malaysia experienced a decline in value in 2025, with sales falling to MYR16,456 million, down from MYR16,870 million in 2024. This reversal follows two years of robust growth, as the category was negatively impacted by a challenging economy. A series of government policy changes, such as the expansion of Sales and Services Tax (SST) and reduced petrol subsidies, led to a spike in the cost of living. These factors led consumers to reduce discretionary spendin

Discounters in Malaysia achieved robust value growth in 2025, with retail sales rising by 10% to MYR457 million. The strong performance was notably higher than in recent years, reflecting the combined impact of inflationary pressures and supportive government policies. The government’s one-off MYR100 cash aid (SARA), distributed as e-wallet credit to Malaysians aged 18 and above, directly stimulated demand for necessities from approved grocery retailers, including discounters such as D’mart and

Supermarkets in Malaysia registered robust value growth in 2025, with retail sales rising 7% to MYR7,617 million. Expansion was primarily fuelled by the rapid proliferation of premium supermarkets, notably Jaya Grocer and Village Grocer, which have concentrated new outlets within the affluent Klang Valley. Premium supermarket brands targeted convenience and accessibility, opening more stores close to residential neighbourhoods and capturing demand from consumers seeking ease of access and premiu

Hypermarkets in Malaysia recorded a decline in current value sales in 2025, falling 3% to MYR11,060 million. This negative performance continues the downward trend observed in recent years, with cost-of-living pressures on household budgets, enhancing the consumers’ focus on price and value. Competition from other retail channels, particularly neighbourhood convenience stores such as 99 Speedmart and Pasar Ekonomi Econsave, has accelerated this decline by attracting cost-conscious shoppers with

Malaysia experienced robust current value growth in convenience retailers in 2025, with total sales rising 12% to MYR21,864 million. Channel growth is well ahead of the regional and global averages seen in grocery retail, with the aggressive expansion of convenience stores boosting value sales to MYR18,965 million in 2025. Store openings by leading brand 99 Speedmart, and the introduction of new formats like Pasar Ekonomi Econsave resonated strongly with Malaysia’s growing cohort of cost-consci

Small local grocers in Malaysia experienced marginal growth in 2025, reaching MYR17,064 million, a 0.4% increase over the previous year. This performance follows a period of robust expansion in 2024, when growth reached 8%. The rate of increase in 2025 is notably lower, reflecting normalisation of spending patterns after the post-pandemic rebound. Despite these modest gains, small local grocers have a dominant presence in Malaysia, particularly in rural areas, underpinned by their popularity as

Health and beauty specialists continued to post steady growth in 2025, with all channels, including pharmacies, beauty specialists, health and personal care stores, and optical goods stores, recording a healthy performance. The total value for health and beauty specialists reached MYR26,430 million in 2025, up 3% year-on-year, underpinned by a growing population of health-conscious and beauty-focused Malaysians. Despite a slight moderation in consumer sentiment, attractive deals and promotions f

Home products specialists in Malaysia witnessed muted growth in 2025, with sales remaining stagnant at MYR12,000 million. The weak performance of homewares and home furnishing stores was offset by growth in home improvement and gardening stores, pet shops and superstores. Cautious spending behaviour was driven by tighter budgets, and this resulted in the postponement of high-ticket purchases such as furniture, directly impacting the performance of homewares and home furnishing stores. Value-led

General merchandise stores in Malaysia experienced a mixed performance in 2025, although there was a marked divergence between department stores and variety stores. Overall retail value sales declined by 11% to MYR12,203 million, reflecting the impact of changing consumer behaviours and intense competition. Department stores continued their downward trajectory, with value sales dropping to MYR8,573 million in 2025, a substantial 17% contraction on the previous year. These retailers are losing ap

Retail e-commerce in Malaysia experienced robust current value growth in 2025, with sales reaching MYR40,475 million at an annual growth rate of 11%. Double-digit growth was underpinned by high internet penetration and widespread smartphone usage, enabling Malaysians to embrace digital shopping habits at a fast pace. Retailers are increasingly leveraging e-commerce channels not just to boost revenue, but to enhance the shopping experience through omnichannel operations, reflecting a broader glob

Consumer Types can be a powerful tool to help companies better understand and appeal to their target markets. By going beyond typical demographic-based segmentation, such as age or gender, and grouping consumers based on shared traits and preferences, companies can better develop products and marketing campaigns that resonate with key customers.

In 2025, the bleach category in Malaysia experienced growth, driven by the consumer preference for mood-boosting ingredients. New launches like Kuat Harimau Bleach Lemon, which emphasised its pleasant and uplifting scent, combined the functional power of disinfection and stain removal with experiential freshness. As a result, brands offering fragranced bleach variants captured more attention and differentiated themselves based on sensory experience.

In 2025, the toilet care market in Malaysia experienced steady growth, driven by increasing hygiene awareness and a growing population. The retail sales in the toilet care market reached MYR66 million, with a current value growth rate of 3% in 2025. This growth was attributed to the rising demand for effective and convenient hygiene solutions.