Asia Pacific

Consumer lending is growing at a healthy pace in India, driven by evolving lifestyle preferences where consumers strive for a higher standard of living and access to modern amenities. The country’s growing economy, rising disposable incomes, and…

In 2023, card lending - driven by increasing credit card adoption in India - remained the dominant category within consumer credit in gross lending terms. The adoption of credit cards further increased during the year, primarily as consumers’…

Vegetables in Thailand saw a notable and sustained increase in unit prices throughout 2022 and 2023, primarily attributed to the combined impact of drought and severe flooding. Drought conditions have resulted in reduced water availability for…

Hikes in production costs have pushed up prices of sugar and sweeteners in Thailand. Retail prices rose throughout 2023, continuing a trend that began at the outbreak of COVID-19. Thailand's farmers and agricultural producers were threatened by the…

The unit prices of starchy roots increased significantly throughout 2022 and 2023 due to constant rises in the costs of production and unfavourable weather conditions throughout the year. Like other fresh food categories, the farming and production…

The price of soybeans has seen a continuous surge since 2020 in response to persistently rising demand, with domestic output declining during the latter years of the review period. The retail consumption of soybeans and other soybean byproducts, such…

The price of coconuts continued to fall in 2023, with domestic demand yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. Coconuts, as well as foods and beverages with coconuts as an ingredient, are popular among both local consumers and tourists. With the…

As the pandemic and its impact on lifestyles continued to recede 2023, with local consumers resuming pre-coronavirus patterns and habits, meat consumption rose considerably, with beef benefitting from increased consumer spending on dining out and the…

As seen in other fresh food categories, fruits in Thailand has been subject to steep surges in unit prices in response to rising production costs and unpredictable fluctuations in weather conditions. The war in Ukraine has disrupted the supply chain…

In 2023 fresh food consumption in Thailand saw an uptick, with several foods benefitting considerably from amplified focus on protein consumption as well as from broader health and wellness trends. Rising awareness of the importance of healthy habits…

2023 saw unit prices in fish and seafood in Thailand rise substantially, thanks mainly to persistent price hikes in fuel and energy. As these costs kept climbing, they directly impacted fishing operations, processing, transportation and storage, and…

Overall egg consumption in Thailand continued along its upward trajectory in 2023. Recognising the nutritional benefits of eggs, the government has been actively promoting egg consumption among the local population. The Ministry of Public Health has…

Asia Pacific’s population is set to expand in 2021-2040, driven by positive, yet declining, rates of natural change. The ageing trend is set to accelerate, impacting consumer trends, though the region will remain relatively young in terms of its…

Street stalls/kiosks continued to experience buoyant growth in current value terms in 2023. Sales were boosted by an increase in foot traffic in shopping malls, where a high number of chained outlets are located. Standalone stalls also benefited from…

Street stalls/kiosks saw a second year of double-digit growth in current value terms in 2023. These small booths typically targeted low- to middle-income consumers, who remained highly price sensitive. With the return of on-site working and…

Self-service cafeterias registered a stagnant performance in Indonesia in current value terms in 2023. With a high proportion of these outlets typically located in hypermarkets, the performance of the category is heavily dependent on this retail…

Limited-service restaurants managed to sustain a strong performance in current value terms in 2023, although the rate of growth was slower than the previous year. This was a result of the normalisation of behaviour in the aftermath of the pandemic,…

Limited-service restaurants in Indonesia saw an impressive performance in 2023, with current value sales exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Growth was boosted by an increase in mobility, including the return of Indonesians to their physical offices, as…

Full-service restaurants sustained positive growth in current value terms in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than the previous year. This was partially due to the normalisation of consumer behaviour, following the eat-in boom experienced in the…

Full-service restaurants in Indonesia can generally be divided into two segments. The first refers to fine dining establishments with elaborately decorated interiors and higher-priced food menus, which cater to more affluent consumers. The other…