Asia Pacific

The number of credit cards in circulation and credit card current value transactions are expected to increase in 2023, mainly driven by further improvements in mobility and economic conditions after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted at the end of…

Consumer lending in Japan is growing in 2023 in line with demand for greater convenience and easy access to lending services, mainly due to more services being accessed online. New emerging players, such as LINE Pocket Money by LINE Credit…

Demand for consumer lending is set to see a moderate rebound in 2023, as the pandemic has eased, and consumer spending has returned, especially on services and in other discretionary categories. However, growth in consumer lending in China is…

Japan currently does not have any law restrictions surrounding Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and thus the benefits, such as convenience, flexibility, and especially no credit checks, are gradually being understood by a wider consumer base. These benefits…

Consumer credit is set to see a moderate rebound in 2023, following subdued demand in 2022, affected by the pandemic. The pick-up in consumer credit growth has largely been due to rises in home and card lending, reflecting some improvement in…

The purchasing behaviour of Thai parents and guardians is becoming more sophisticated when it comes to purchasing childrenswear. While they are still looking for value-for-money they are also increasingly focusing on both fashion and product quality.…

Despite Singapore experiencing a declining birth rate, with a record decline seen in 2022, childrenswear is set to maintain growth in both retail volume and current value terms in 2023. These increases can primarily be attributed to the lifting of…

Charge card transactions have demonstrated a consistent upward trajectory in terms of transaction volume and retail value in 2023, coinciding with the resurgence of travel activities in Southeast Asia as pandemic-related restrictions have been…

Demand for breakfast cereals remained very limited in Vietnam in 2023, due to the overwhelming importance of traditional specialities such as xoi (sticky rice), pho (a broth containing rice noodles, meat and herbs), bun bo (a spicy broth associated…

The increasingly hectic lifestyles of consumers propelled the expansion of breakfast cereals in retail volume terms in 2023. Due to their ease of preparation, such products emerged as a convenient morning meal option for many consumers, although the…

While retail volume sales of both children's breakfast cereals and family breakfast cereals continue to decline in 2023 due to greater mobility following the easing of restrictions in South Korea, demand remains above pre-pandemic levels. Players in…

Breakfast cereals in Japan is set to suffer a significant retail volume decline in 2023, due to the normalisation of sales from the strong growth seen during COVID-19 in 2020. Breakfast cereals, which had been suffering from a declining trend from…

In 2023, retail current value sales of breakfast cereals are expected to return to growth after decline in 2022. However, value growth is set to be negligible, and retail volume sales are set to see a slight decline, partly due to the return to…

Volume sales of baked goods saw positive growth for the second year in 2023, supported to a large extent by the continued recovery of foodservice. With the easing of pandemic restrictions, including a return to office-based working patterns,…

Despite continuing inflationary pressures, baked goods saw a solid performance in volume terms in 2023. This was led, to a large extent, by foodservice, which saw double-digit growth for the second consecutive year in 2023, thanks to a return to…

Heightened consumer interest in health continues to be a prominent trend following the pandemic in South Korea. It has played a pivotal role in shaping the current baking trend of reducing sugar and oil content, while emphasising natural fermentation…

Baked goods in Japan is set to continue to see growth in retail current value terms in 2023, largely driven by unit price increases. Although many manufacturers had already implemented price increases several times in 2022, the costs of production…

Baked goods is set to return to growth in retail volume and current value terms in 2023. In this year, leavened bread, which is the main category within bread, is set to see mid-single-digit retail current value growth in China, mainly driven by the…

Apparel and footwear in Thailand continues on the path to recovery in 2023, albeit sales have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels in current value terms. Even though the country continues to record COVID-19 cases, Thai consumers have learnt to…

2023 has seen life return to normal in Singapore, with consumers resuming all their pre-pandemic activities. The return to normalcy is set to help drive retail volume and current value sales of apparel and footwear in this year, with consumers…