Asia Pacific

Despite inflationary pressures, demand for wine in the Philippines continued to grow in 2023. On-trade volumes grew at a faster rate than their off-trade counterparts, with sales edging closer towards pre-pandemic levels.

In South Korea, the alcoholic drinks industry has been rapidly evolving, witnessing a swift transition from imported beers to craft beers, then to wines, and subsequently to whiskies and highballs. The industry is now speculating about the next big…

Retail volume sales of tobacco in Hong Kong continued to strongly decline in 2023. Strong tobacco control measures and legislation introduced by the local government have resulted in a highly saturated and mature market. The government introduced yet…

In 2024, sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks in China is expected to maintain the trend from the previous year and witness steady minimal growth in retail current value terms. This is mainly due to the overall economic slowdown in China, and…

Afte a year of decline in 2022 during the pandemic restrictions, sugar confectionery in China returned to retail current value growth in 2023, and this trend is set to be maintained in 2024. With increasing consumer health consciousness…

Volume sales of spirits in the Philippines registered positive growth in 2023. This was within the context of a gradually improving economy, which had a positive impact on disposable incomes. Gin and rum remained the most important product areas in…

Sprits in South Korea recorded a total volume decline in 2023. However, not all categories faced a negative performance. For instance, whiskies demonstrated robust growth, notably influenced by the behaviours of Generation Z of legal drinking age,…

As consumers’ lives gradually returned to normal in 2023, retail current value sales of snacks experienced a return to growth. However, in 2024, the growth rate for snacks in China is set to slow slightly, becoming almost static, due to the impact of…

Savoury snacks in China is set to see a slowdown in retail current value growth in 2024, even though the growth rate in 2023 was already minimal. Overall economic slowdown in China and increasing uncertainty about the future have driven consumers…

Following a three-year period of decline, RTDs registered positive growth in volume terms in 2023, with sales increasingly in both off-trade and the on-trade channels. Spirit-based RTDs saw especially strong growth in on-trade outlets, bolstered by…

RTDs in South Korea saw exceptional total volume growth in 2023, mainly driven by off-trade growth, although on-trade sales also saw a double-digit increase. Growth was primarily driven by an increase in light home drinking, and a rise in young…

After experiencing rapid growth in 2021 and 2022, retail current value sales of ice cream in China saw a significant decline in 2023. Several factors contributed to this downturn. Compared with 2022, there were fewer days with high temperatures,…

After a year of strong retail current value decline in 2022, gum in China returned to growth in 2023, and recovery is expected to continue in 2024. Both chewing gum and bubble gum saw the same trend of decline followed by rebound. However, the upward…

Demand for cigars in Hong Kong marginally improved in 2023, supporting sales through offline distribution channels in line with the waning impact of the pandemic. One notable development was the opening of cigar shops in the Tsim Sha Tsui East…

Following slowing growth post-pandemic, volume sales of cigarettes in Hong Kong declined in 2023, in line with a stronger fall in smoking prevalence among the adult population. This downward trend was despite the relaxation of pandemic-related rules,…

Cider/perry, which is a niche market in the Philippines, continued to see modest, albeit positive growth in volume terms in 2023. The category competes closely with other alcoholic drinks, such as beer and RTDs, which have a more established…

Chocolate confectionery in China saw solid retail current value growth in 2023, and this trend is expected to be maintained in 2024. Beyond the traditional formats, chocolate confectionery continues to evolve in terms of textures and tastes. First,…

Thanks to the improving economic conditions and a flourishing labour market, the market for beer in the Philippines continued to expand in both volume and current value terms in 2023 . The revitalisation of on-trade spending also emerged as a key…

Despite expectations that the endemic phase of the pandemic would herald a second year of dynamic revival for the on-trade, and a flourishing year for total volume sales of beer in 2023, beer in South Korea experienced stagnation, with declines seen…

Alcoholic drinks in the Philippines continued to see healthy growth in volume terms in 2023. This was within the context of a gradually improving economy, which had a positive impact on consumer spending. Indeed, the country finished with year with a…