Belgium

Stagnant demand witnessed towards the end of the review period due to a declining birth rate in Belgium turned to notable declines in 2020 as a result of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. With parents working from home, there was a greater ...

Demand for retail adult incontinence remained positive in 2020, as the largest consumer group of elderly citizens were deemed the most vulnerable to the virus and were advised to self-isolate, resulting in some initial stockpiling. However, with this...

Demand for away-from-home tissue was significantly impacted by the pandemic and subsequent lockdown in 2020. The closure of horeca outlets for several months, followed by limited access due to social distancing measures when restrictions were eased, ...

There were some short-term disruptions to the provision of RX/reimbursement adult incontinence in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, with many healthcare institutions overwhelmed by the spread of the virus. As a result, some users struggled to obtain ...

The pandemic gave a much needed boost to the mature retail tissue in 2020, with demand across the category notably up from 2019 with the exception of paper tableware due to limited entertaining opportunities at home. Overall increased demand however,...

Demand for sanitary protection in Belgium was already declining prior to the emergence of the pandemic, due to an ageing population as greater numbers of Belgian women reach the menopause, in addition to the widening popularity of long-term ...

While overall current value sales of wipes remained stagnant in 2020, demand for a number of product areas relating to antibacterial properties saw an increase as a result of the pandemic, due to heightened awareness amongst consumers for the need to...

Retail value sales of tissue and hygiene largely overall benefited from the pandemic in 2020, although categories performed differently depending on whether consumers perceived them to be essential. The announcement of a lockdown in the March by the ...

Belgium was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, sending the country’s economy into a slowdown in 2020. The counter-crisis measures helped to contain the virus spread, yet left a huge mark on public finances, investment and the socio-economic ...

Despite the higher demand for groceries seen in 2020, which benefited almost all grocery retailers, traditional grocery retailers failed to see any positive growth. This is because traditional grocery retailers have been facing increasing competition...

Demand for food and drink e-commerce rose very significantly in 2020, mostly due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and lockdowns, including the stockpiling trend, restrictions to movements, and the need for social distancing. ...

Apparel and footwear specialist retailers saw steep declines in 2020, due to the various impacts from COVID-19. Lockdowns and home-working, with no dressing up or formal occasions, have resulted in a consumer malaise about purchasing apparel. ...

Restriction of movement during lockdowns in March to May 2020 had a negative impact on vending sales, due to significantly lower foot traffic in vending locations, such as those in travel and retail. This was somewhat counterbalanced by an increase ...

Physical sales in direct selling, especially through home parties, took a hit at the beginning of the lockdown in 2020, with direct sellers only able to retrieve their physical activities, by royal decree, from June 2020. ...

Value declines in hypermarkets slowed down in 2020, due to the stockpiling trend which benefited grocery retailers overall. Hypermarkets were favoured by consumers during the time of COVID-19, as they offer a wide range of products catering for the ...

Home improvement and gardening stores were among the least affected channels in non-grocery retailing in 2020, as many Belgian consumers used the time of lockdown to complete home improvements and also spent more time in their gardens and outside ...

COVID-19 factors had strong impacts on retailing in 2020. A strong GDP decline, alongside a significant contraction in foodservice and in-store shopping, determined a very particular situation in retailing. The biggest gains are seen in grocery ...

Mobile e-commerce comes out top in 2020, thanks to the growing penetration of smartphones and mobile apps within a strong e-commerce environment. Already growing as a trend, mobile e-commerce has seen an additional boost from the time of COVID-19 in ...

E-commerce was the clear winner in 2020, due to the format lending itself perfectly to the time of COVID-19, with lockdowns, physical store closures, and social distancing requirements. This was evident in both grocery and non-grocery retailing, and ...

Department stores in Belgian is a small category, with only two players (Hudson's Bay Co and Sogesma SA), and sales were heavily impacted by the decline in apparel purchases during 2020. Further downwards pressure also comes from the ongoing growth ...