Costa Rica

Current value sales are expected to increase, along with a healthy increase in volume sales. While there is still economic uncertainty, as a result of rising inflation, the growth in inflation is expected to ease. That being said, consumers are…

The growth of sports and indoor and outdoor activities, as well as children returning to school, has led to increased injuries compared to the previous years of COVID-19 restrictions. This, in turn, has driven the demand for first aid products in…

Baby wipes continued to record positive retail value growth in Costa Rica in 2023. These products benefit from having a versatile nature, being widely employed for various non-baby related uses. Brands like Scott, for instance, have introduced wipes…

Wine registered very healthy volume growth in 2022. Part of the reason for the positive performance was increased socialising, as society fully opened up post pandemic lockdowns. The return of foreign tourists also contributed to the growth, as well…

During 2022 and 2023, Ozempic injections have started to be used by consumers who do not have type 2 diabetes to lose weight. Popularised by international media, higher-income consumers who can afford them have resorted to using these injections to…

Consumers having less disposable income has impacted their purchasing habits in 2023, including their choices regarding healthcare products and vitamins. Rather than investing in preventative measures like vitamins, consumers are opting for more…

The global urban consumer landscape is increasingly complex and difficult to navigate. Which cities should you choose for your consumer business expansion? To answer this and other questions, we are introducing the Euromonitor International Cities…

Volume growth in toilet care was muted. Two factors led to the muted growth. With the pandemic having passed, there was less frenetic cleaning. In addition, with inflation still being relatively high, consumers traded down as much as possible and…

Although socialising and post-pandemic celebrations improved in 2022, severe pressures on discretionary incomes and negative press surrounding the hazards of smoking limited overall tobacco consumption. Price has become a buzzword in 2022 with Costa…

In 2023, retail value growth was positive for tissue and hygiene in Costa Rica, with inflation and rising price points driving results. In 2022, Costa Rica experienced the highest inflation in over a decade, marking a significant economic shift. This…

The tea category did not experience the marked price increases seen in coffee. Instead, tea unit prices increased at a more modest pace, with the category poised to see prices fall in the coming years, in line with the consumer price index. Overall,…

Honey is expected to register the highest current value growth, Consumers perceive honey as a healthy option as it is a natural product which is rich in minerals, vitamins and trace elements and as such honey continues to perform well. That being…

High inflation continues to drive lower income consumers towards price promotions in 2023, with trading down to cheaper options and private labels also a common trend. Brand loyalty is generally quite weak in sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit…

Overall, surface care registered muted volume growth in 2023. However, given the diversity of this product area, some products performed better than others. Reckitt Benckiser continued to have a strong lead in surface care, thanks to its wide…

Sun care in Costa Rica showed an improved performance in volume growth terms in 2023. This was partly due to a steep drop in inflation, which caused current value growth to slow significantly from 2022 but bolstered purchasing power among consumers.…

Children who were not able to celebrate their birthday with friends in 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returned to full party celebrations in 2022 and 2023. Sugar confectionery is frequently purchased for children´s birthday parties…

Inflation continues to impact consumer shopping habits in 2023, with consumers seeking out low prices and private label in the staple foods category, as they look to make grocery budgets stretch further. The government has implemented aggressive…

Sports nutrition witnessed an upturn in current value sales in 2022 as consumers left COVID-19 fears behind and returned to gyms and their usual sporting activities. Moving into 2023, Many Costa Ricans focus on losing weight gained during the…

In the post-pandemic era, Costa Ricans have resumed sports and exercise regimes, including group activities and competitions. Sports drinks has benefited from this return to normalcy as consumers use them to fuel during sports and/or refuel after…

Spirits registered very healthy double-digit volume growth in 2022. Part of the reason for the positive performance was increased socialising, as society fully opened up post pandemic lockdowns. The return of foreign tourists also contributed to the…

Soft drinks faced a difficult year in 2023 as high levels of inflation were exacerbated by the appreciation of the Costa Rica Colón vis-à-vis the US dollar. Inflation led to unit price increases across a range of soft drinks categories, although…

Increased socialising and the return to post-pandemic habits is supporting the snacks category in 2023. Although inflation continues to cut into discretionary incomes and consumers remain price sensitive, most consumers have become accustomed to…

In January 2022, a 20% tax increase came into effect on electronic cigarettes and vaping products (liquid and accessories). The new law imposes a 20% tax on vapers, as well as e-liquids and electronic devices used for vaping. In addition, consumers…

Conventional products continued to face growing competition from dermocosmetics in skin care in Costa Rica in 2023, with this trend remaining most visible in the premium segment. Recent years have seen dermocosmetic varieties offered by brands like…

With inflation remaining high in 2023, brand loyalty remains weak among most lower income consumers, who normally purchase the cheapest option available when it comes to salty snacks. Price-competition is therefore stronger in the mass segment, as…

The variety of formats and brands available for pasta sauces has increased over the past few years, with newer options including Kern’s 435g jars, Naturas 430g jars, Great Value and Rao’s 680g jars; Sabemas stand-up pouches; Del Monte and Contadina…

The San Jose in Costa Rica report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital penetration,…

RTDs in Costa Rica are growing in popularity, especially among younger generations as they are often sweet, also often have low-calorie content and a low ABV, especially RTDs such as hard seltzers. Parents also like RTDs as introductory drinks for…

Despite the inflationary climate in Costa Rica, the RTD tea category did not experience the same sudden price increases as other soft drinks. This benefited the category in terms of both volume and value growth as consumers did not feel as compelled…

RTD coffee products saw notable unit price increases over the review period, due in large part to the steep price movements of coffee in 2022. Given the relatively small size of RTD coffee in Costa Rica, the higher unit prices associated with these…

Tariffs on imported rice were reduced by 33% in 2023 leading to a significant rise in imports. In six months, imports of rice pellets (unpeeled rice that is processed) grew by 477%. The main importing companies are Inter-Global (Walmart's logistics…

In 2023, retail tissue in Costa Rica recorded positive retail value growth. Due to rising prices, consumers were increasingly seeking savings without compromising the quality of their retail tissue products. Consumers in Costa Rica expect a certain…

Retailing in Costa Rica was challenged in 2022, with rising inflation and price hikes impacting consumer buying habits. In addition, high levels of unemployment in the country continued to impact household budgets, shaping purchasing decisions. This…

While e-commerce sales saw significant growth in 2021, in 2022, growth was boosted even further, with strong double-digit value retail growth recorded. Online sales are well developed in Costa Rica in regional terms but remain immature in global…

In 2023, retail adult incontinence products in Costa Rica recorded strong levels of double-digit retail value growth. This growth was driven by high price points, in addition to the ageing population, which is fuelling the demand for adult…

Convenience stores continue to grow their portfolio of processed meat, seafood, and alternatives to meat in 2023. Convenience store chains like Fresh Market offer both imported and local products, with imported brands bringing innovative options to…

Retail volume sales of processed fruit and vegetables enjoyed a strong increase in retail volume sales in 2023, compared to the previous year. While fresh produce offers its own benefits, frozen fruits and vegetables are a preferred choice for many…

E-commerce continued to gain importance in terms of premium beauty and personal care distribution in Costa Rica in 2023. While this was in keeping with the trend evident across the market as a whole, the channel’s rising penetration also reflected…

Demand for polishes has remained steady over the review period, as consumers continue to regularly use floor and furniture polish, as part of their cleaning routine. That being said, volume growth was muted, as competing products such as surface care…

The awareness and benefits of a plant-based diet continues to grow among higher income consumers and more and more shelf space is being allocated to plant-based dairy. Plant-based milk is the most popular and is entering the mainstream. However, as…

Political stability and better government finances are adding to economic freedom in Costa Rica, but corruption is on the rise. Foreign investors continue to flock to the country, but the economy is moderating and prices are falling. Discretionary…

There is a growing demand for natural and organic products in all categories regarding paediatric health. This is increasingly obvious in baby food, supplements, and skin care products. Parents are becoming more conscious of the ingredients in the…

Other hot drinks has witnessed only slight unit price increases in recent years, which has resulted in stable volume and value growth in the category. Sales in the on-trade channel continue to recover from the pandemic, aided by the return of…

While current value sales are expected to increase, volume sales are expected to register a decline, as continuing rising prices dampens volume sales somewhat. In particular, the largest product in terms of volume sales, that is condensed milk, drags…

Global players such as Colgate, Listerine and Oral-B continued to dominate oral care in Costa Rica in 2023 due to their trusted reputations for quality and efficacy, broad product ranges and extensive distribution coverage. However, a number of…

Following its acquisition by Grupo Unicomer, RadioShack reopened its stores in Costa Rica in 2022. The player plans to have 18 outlets within the country by the end of 2024. This moves shows the continued importance, opportunity and growth for…

Nappies/diapers/pants recorded positive retail value growth in 2023 in Costa Rica. Despite rising prices, brand loyalty is generally strong in nappies/diapers/pants, where Huggies and Pampers are the leading choices, and consumers are generally…

Menstrual care in Costa Rica recorded double-digit retail value growth in 2023, driven by prices and the essential nature of the products. To aid sales, sanitary pads, tampons and panty liners had a VAT rate of 1% from 1 February 2023, down from the…

In keeping with the trend observed earlier in the review period, multifunctional men’s grooming products continued to gain popularity in Costa Rica in 2023. Prominent examples included a Nivea Men liquid soap that is suitable for cleansing the body,…

Meals and soups is expected to register both current value and volume growth in 2023. With society fully opened up post pandemic, and consumers leading busy lives, they appreciate the convenience of meals and coups, with ready meals in particular…