Cider/Perry in Serbia

PRE-COVID-19 PERFORMANCE

Cider remains underdeveloped in 2019

Cider is still very underdeveloped in Serbia and its low base allowed it to record healthy total volume growth rate in 2019. The improved distribution of these products also contributed to strong growth.

Female consumers appreciate cider’s sweeter taste

Cider/perry is often consumed on-trade and it is very popular amongst female consumers who appreciate its sweeter taste. These products took consumers away from flavoured/mixed lager products, which had been popular and grown strongly up to 2013, when cider/perry’s distribution and popularity notably improved.

One brand absolutely dominates cider/perry

Somersby continued to absolutely dominate cider/perry in Serbia in 2019, being the only cider/perry brand that most consumers know about and thanks to promotion by the brand’s producer, Carlsberg Srbija doo. Heineken’s Strongbow brand and Apatinska Pivara’s (Molson Coors) Carling British Cider brands were still available in 2018, but their availability dwindled towards the end of the year and they were unavailable in 2019.

2020 AND BEYOND

COVID-19 impact

On-trade volume sales of cider/perry are expected to fall by 26% in 2020 in light of the impact of COVID-19. This compares to an expected 9% rise forecast for 2020 during research conducted in May 2019, ie before the spread of COVID-19.

Recovery and opportunities

Sales of cider/perry are expected to recover over the forecast period, although growth will be slower over the forecast period following dynamic growth of the underdeveloped category over the review period. The off-trade channel will outperform the on-trade as consumers with constrained purchasing power appreciate the cheaper off-trade prices and due to the growth of modern grocery retailing, especially discounters as a result of Lidl’s arrival in late 2018.

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