South Africa

Despite recording a positive performance in 2023, demand for fragrances in South Africa remained below pre-pandemic levels. This is because many local consumers continued to face economic pressures and prioritised essential beauty and personal care…

The number of hypermarkets operating in South Africa continued to decline in 2023. The trend emerged just prior to the pandemic due to cautious investments in the wake of economic uncertainty in the country. This scenario was exacerbated by lockdown…

Overall demand for dishwashing in South Africa continued to rise in 2023, supported by both automatic dishwashing and the dominant hand washing format. The number of dishwashers owned pre-pandemic when compared to after the lockdowns in South Africa…

The legal cannabis market in South Africa has continued to see strong growth on the back of the landmark judgement in 2018, which determined private use and consumption of cannabis as legal within private spaces. As an example, private spaces include…

In 2023, vending in South Africa continued to recover from the negative impact of lockdown restrictions, which mainly affected machines located in semi-captive environments, leading to the bankruptcy of many small businesses operating within the…

High inflation towards the end of the review period, where some products faced significant unit price increases, placed pressure on demand for wipes in South Africa, while value sales continued to record impressive growth. Therefore, consumers turned…

In 2023, the retail landscape in South Africa remained challenged by the operating environment, translating into slow economic growth, which left unemployment at a relatively high level. As inflation remained above the South African Reserve Bank…

Polishes in South Africa recorded positive retail value growth in 2023, despite another fall in overall demand. The growth in value was attributable to the rapidly rising inflation rate. With higher unit prices of polishes, local consumers continued…

Demand for bleach in South Africa remained stable in 2023, with some consumers choosing this more affordable alternative to surface care due to the impact of inflation on disposable incomes. However, inflationary pressures resulted in category leader…

Lab grown diamonds are gaining popularity in South Africa, and the reason for this is twofold. The first reason is that lab-grown diamonds are cheaper. Consumers have seen falling disposable incomes in 2023, and therefore lab-grown diamonds have…

Despite remaining under financial pressure in 2023, demand for deodorants in South Africa continued to grow. However, many consumers reviewed their budgets and only prioritised certain products, while also becoming extremely strategic in terms of…

After a relatively strong performance during the pandemic, due to lockdown restrictions, supermarkets in South Africa once again benefited in 2023 from consumers’ renewed focus on essential products due to economic pressures. The channel’s…

In 2023, discounters in South Africa continued to record dynamic growth across all indicators. Despite decelerated food inflation, estimated at an average of 8.5% over 2023 as a whole compared to a 14-year high of 14.4% in March, South African…

With South African consumers experiencing financial pressures in 2023 as the cost of living in the country increased, they searched for ways to reduce outgoings, including on depilatories. For many consumers, depilatories are essential, as shaving is…

Demand for home insecticides in South Africa continued to rise in 2023, with the country experiencing a surge in the presence and number of German cockroaches. Climate change oriented around wet and humid summers earlier in the year perpetuated the…

Laundry care in South Africa recorded a flat performance in 2023, although the largest category of laundry detergents continued to experience rising demand, a trend supported by a marginal decline in the average unit price. Laundry care in the…

The average unit price of toilet paper in South Africa continued to rise in 2023, with inflation affecting transport, fuel and production costs. Inflation also impacted consumers’ disposable incomes, and thus retailers’ shelves were stacked with…

Purchases of surface care in South Africa are included in many consumers’ grocery shopping budgets. In 2023, food inflation peaked at double digits, limiting affordability, in addition to a further rise in unit prices of surface care. This scenario…

The trading environment in South Africa paints a bleak picture; post-pandemic recovery hindered by deteriorating local economic conditions, including erratic electricity supply, weak growth and high levels of inflation. South Africa’s food price…

During 2023, many consumers in South Africa have been experiencing tough economic conditions. As a result, they have been cutting back on their discretionary spending due to lower disposable incomes. Similarly, consumers have been prioritising the…