Asia Pacific

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…

After a return to healthy growth in 2021, following the pandemic-induced decline in 2020, snacks sales were again negatively impacted by COVID-19 in 2022, as case numbers spiked in China, the region’s biggest market. However, although volume sales…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

Older adults are a key consumer group, as companies explore opportunities in the context of an ageing population across Asia Pacific markets. This report investigates the evolving consumption habits not only of senior consumers, but also of those…

Traditionally, sweet biscuits are generally consumed in India with tea and coffee or as an impulse indulgence. With increasingly health-conscious consumers in the country, there is greater scrutiny over the levels of sugar present in sweet biscuits.…

In a category saturated with toffees, caramels and nougat, boiled sweets and mints in India, pastilles, gummies, jellies, and chews bring a novelty factor in terms of product format, healthier alternative perspective and interesting flavours. Falero,…

Snacks in India experienced strong double-digit value growth in 2022 supported by the strong performances of ice cream and chocolate confectionery. Post-pandemic, pent-up demand combined with the extended summer season drove the growth of ice cream,…

According to Euromonitor International’s Economies and Consumer data for India, the percentage of households with access to the internet has increased from 29.2% in 2019 to 45.3% in 2023. With greater access to the internet, there has been a marked…

2022 was exceptional for ice cream, with year-on-year value growth of 38% compared to 2021. This was because of extreme hot weather combined with pent-up demand. According to IMD (Indian Metrological Department), India had one of the hottest summers…

The demand for gum, namely chewing gum and bubble gum, remains relatively muted in 2023. A large proportion of gum purchases are impulse in nature and low-ticket price purchases. Most purchases of gum tend to be made from small local grocers, and are…

The per capita consumption of chocolate confectionery in India in 2023 is only 7% of consumption in the US and 10% of consumption in the UK. Generally, chocolate confectionery in India has limited mind space association, primarily focused on gifting,…

In the second half of 2022, there was a recovery for sweet biscuits, snack bars, and fruit snacks, as local consumers began to resume their social life. With COVID-19 restrictions easing and vaccination rates increasing in the second half of the…

Retail volume and retail current value sales of medicated confectionery have recovered after the decline seen in 2020, which can be attributed to the heightened focus on health and wellbeing during and after COVID-19. In Hong Kong, the outbreak of…

COVID-19 remains a key factor shaping snacks, which is leading to positive impacts in certain categories, and negative impacts in others. From March 2023, when Hong Kong eventually ended the mask mandate, chewing gum, which serves as a convenient way…

Potato chips remained one of the most popular savoury snacks amongst consumers in Hong Kong in 2022, experiencing a steady increase in retail volume terms, which was primarily attributed to the growing prevalence of snacking occasions, such as the…

In Hong Kong, the impact of COVID-19 began to diminish in the second half of 2022, and so did the craving for ice cream as eating habits changed. In particular, take-home ice cream witnessed a stronger decline compared with impulse ice cream in this…

The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on sales of gum, and made its recovery protracted. However, starting from the second half of 2022, people started to return to their normal social life, leading to an increasing number of occasions for…

Hong Kong consumers are becoming more adventurous in their search for new taste experiences, and players are finding ways to cater to consumers’ expanding palate in chocolate confectionery. For example, in late 2022, Hong Kong’s dominant distribution…

Low consumer spending due to the economic crisis was not the only issue that snacks players faced in 2023 as the falling exchange value of the Sri Lankan rupee, limited access to foreign currency, supply chain issues and interruptions to the power…

In 2022, and continuing into 2023, inflation was fuelled by increases in the costs of food and energy, particularly exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Therefore, although consumers have still been open to purchasing indulgence products,…