Eastern Europe

Sun care in Slovenia had a favourable year in 2023 supported by warm weather for the majority of the summer and improvements in the tourism sector. Croatia remains a popular summer destination for Slovenians, but there has been a visible improvement…

It was a dismal year for sun care in North Macedonia in 2023, with both constant value and volume sales falling. Inflation continued to be high and the continuing rising costs cut into players’ profit margins. A declining population also led to a…

Skin care retained its status as one of the best performing categories in the Slovenian beauty and personal care industry during 2023. The category’s strong performance during the year was mainly the result of more regular use of skin care products…

Despite continuing high inflation, and also a falling population, skin care in North Macedonia registered some volume growth in 2023. It was also the best performing beauty and personal care product in terms of current value growth. Premium skin care…

In 2023, some of the best performing categories in beauty and personal care in Slovenia were those with a relatively high proportion of premium brands, notably skin care and fragrances. The products in these categories are increasingly seen as…

Performance was muted for premium beauty and personal care in North Macedonia in 2023. Inflation continued to be high and rising costs hit profit margins. With this backdrop, current value sales of premium beauty and personal care products increased…

The oral care category continued to see positive growth in Slovenia in 2023, with consumers switching to cheaper products. Private label gained significant ground in oral care during 2023 as the rising cost of living in Slovenia forced many consumers…

Though there was double-digit growth in current value sales in oral care in North Macedonia in 2023, both constant value and volume sales fell. Continuing high inflation, as well as a declining population, dampened value sales. As such, with…

Men’s grooming in Slovenia was hampered by the weak performance of men’s shaving due to the enduring popularity of beards, especially among men in their 30s and 40s. While the beard trend has undoubtedly peaked, there are still significant numbers of…

Though there was double-digit growth in current value sales in men’s grooming in North Macedonia in 2023, volume growth was minimal and constant value sales fell slightly. Continuing high inflation, as well as a declining population, dampened value…

Mass beauty and personal care registered a strong performance in 2023, driven by increased demand for cheaper products as high inflation prevailed in Slovenia. This development has positively impacted the performance of private label in recent years.…

Mass beauty and personal care still accounted for significantly more value sales than premium in North Macedonia in 2023. However, with inflation still being high, there was only a slight increase in constant value sales, as rising costs hit profit…

Hair care in Slovenia recorded another good strong year in 2023 with the return to normal grooming habits following the COVID-19 pandemic. Private label has witnessed increasing popularity thanks to its affordability at a time of high inflation and…

It was a muted picture for hair care in North Macedonia in 2023, with high inflation continuing to hit profit margins and a declining population also dampening volume growth. Standard shampoo continued to account for most value sales, but more niche…

In 2023, the ongoing return to socialising outside the home both at work/school and whilst doing activities had a positive impact on the performance of fragrances in Slovenia. Fragrances are considered an essential accessory by Slovenians, and the…

Overall , it was a muted picture for fragrances in North Macedonia in 2023, with both constant value sales and overall volume sales falling. Continuing high inflation and population decline dampened value sales. Premium outperformed mass, with volume…

Depilatories in Slovenia recorded another solid year of growth in 2023, supported by the return to normal lifestyles post-pandemic. Despite the economic woes, consumers are going out more in the evening and trying to compensate for the lost time…

Though there was double-digit growth in current value sales of depilatories in North Macedonia in 2023, volume growth was minimal and constant value sales fell slightly. Continuing high inflation, as well as a declining population, dampened value…

Deodorants in Slovenia made strong progress in 2023 as consumers adapted back to their busy pre-pandemic lifestyles. Locals returned to going out, with youth trying to make up for lost time during the COVID-19 pandemic, which took away some of their…

With prices continuing to rise for deodorants in North Macedonia in 2023, there was a fall in constant value sales, as rising costs hit profit margins. Volume growth was also minimal. Deodorants sprays continued to account for most value sales and…

Colour cosmetics in Slovenia was relatively unaffected by the high rate of inflation and unit price growth in 2023, as in the previous year. Consumers turned to luxury items to help them feel better in their skin, including make-up products. Despite…

Despite continuing high inflation, and also a falling population, colour cosmetics in North Macedonia registered some volume growth in 2023. However, with prices continuing to rise, consumers adopted some economising behaviours and for instance…

In 2023, beauty and personal care faced challenges as the Slovenian economy slowed and consumers became more price sensitive. Discount shopping reached an all-time high driving greater momentum in volume sales. With consumers adopting this frugal…

It was a muted picture for beauty and personal care in North Macedonia in 2023. Inflation was still high, though it eased somewhat. However, measures to contain inflation took their toll on consumption. As a result, while beauty and personal…

Bath and shower in Slovenia witnessed a slight return to volume growth in 2023, despite the weaker economic conditions. In 2023, household budgets came under further pressure due to persistently high inflation, with many consumers choosing to…

It was a dismal year for bath and shower in North Macedonia in 2023, with both constant value and volume sales falling. Inflation continued to be high and the continuing rising costs cut into players’ profit margins. A declining population also led…

Falling birth rates continued to hamper baby and child-specific products in Slovenia where young families are postponing having children. Women are increasingly focusing on their careers instead of having children, with the weaker economy also…

High inflation continued to impact baby and child-specific products in North Macedonia in 2023. There was only a minimal increase in constant value sales, with volume sales falling marginally, as the birth rate continued to fall. Medicated products…

Sun care in Serbia experienced robust growth in 2023 driven by aggressive promotional activities by all major players, commencing as early as April and extending throughout the summer season. The exceptionally hot weather prompted Serbians to spend…

In 2023, sun care saw double-digit retail value growth and positive retail volume growth in Lithuania. The weather during the year was warm for longer, leading people to spend more time outside. This partnered with rising knowledge and concern…

Sun care was one of the strongest performing categories in 2023, with the hot summer added momentum to volume sales in Latvia. In spite of high inflation, caused by an energy crisis stemming from the war in nearby Ukraine, volume sales of sun care…

Sun care in Georgia was the star performer among beauty and personal care products in 2023, registering the highest value and volume growth. Summers are getting hotter and consumers are also increasingly conscious of the danger of sun exposure and in…

In 2023, sun care in Estonia recorded strong retail value and volume sales, with positive retail volume sales in all product areas. Sun protection recorded the strongest retail volume growth, boosted by the warm weather in the country. In…

Skin care in Serbia continued to experience both volume and value growth in 2023, attributed to the introduction of new products, increasing consumer awareness, and the influence of social media. Leading players consistently innovate and enhance…

In 2023, skin care in Lithuanian recorded standout retail value growth, while retail volume growth was positive in all areas, bar mass skin care sets/kits. While mass skin care offerings continued to record the strongest sales, there was a visible…

In 2023, skin care in Latvia witnessed slower growth compared to 2022 rates but still made good progress. Skin care is one of the few categories where consumers are willing to pay extra for higher quality products or a reputable brand. Still, the…

Skin care in Georgia registered positive value and volume growth in 2023, as inflation fell significantly. In addition, the continued expansion of modern retailing and in particular beauty specialists such as Clean House and pharmacies also expanded…

Skin care products showcased a strong performance in 2023 in Estonia, with double-digit retail value growth and positive retail volume in areas such as anti-agers, lip care and facial cleansing wipes. Despite some level of economic uncertainty,…

Premium beauty and personal care in Serbia continued its impressive ascent in 2023, characterised by stable double-digit growth in retail value sales. This upward trajectory was predominantly underpinned by a strategic price increase strategy adopted…

In 2023, premium beauty and personal care sales recorded very strong double-digit retail value growth, with purchasing power improving compared to the previous year. In the ongoing pandemic aftermath, many consumers were keen to treat themselves to…

The premium segment represents a relatively small proportion of beauty and personal care in Latvia. Nonetheless, in value terms, premium products are growing at almost twice the pace of mass products. Consumer preferences for premium products is well…

With inflation easing in 2023, premium beauty and personal care in Georgia performed well, registering higher value growth than mass. Increasing numbers of tourists, as well as newly-arrived Russian immigrants also contributed to growth. That being…

In 2023, the premium beauty and personal care landscape in Estonia showcased strong growth, with retail value growth above mass beauty and personal care products. As consumers become increasingly educated about the ingredients in skin care, premium…

In 2023, oral care in Serbia continued to experience consistent volume growth, building upon the momentum seen in previous years. While the volume sales growth mirrored that of the previous year, the notable increase in value sales was primarily…

In 2023, oral care in Lithuania recorded double-digit retail value growth, driven by rising price points. Due to ongoing inflation, manufacturers and distributors extended price growth through 2022-2023. As such, retail volume care struggled in…

Oral care has become an important part of daily personal care routines in Latvia over the review period. Growing dentist bills and the fashionable trend for healthy teeth and fresh breath has driven sales of oral care products in 2023. Oral…

Oral care in Georgia registered moderate value and volume growth in 2023, with the essentialness of oral care supporting volume sales. Toothpaste continued to account for most value sales and also was the best performing product. Within oral care,…

Oral care in 2023 showcased strong growth in Estonia, with double-digit retail value growth and positive, double-digit retail volume growth in areas including denture care, power toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes. Growing consumer education and…

Men's grooming in Serbia exhibited a stable performance in 2023, with middle-aged consumers primarily gravitating towards basic products like shampoo and body wash. However, the influence of social media is prompting younger Serbians to adopt…

In 2023, men's grooming recorded double-digit retail value growth and positive retail volume growth in all areas, excluding premium skin care and men's mass fragrances. A high level of retail volume growth was noted in men's premium fragrances, with…