Eastern Europe

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…

Wine sales declined in 2022 after couple of good years for sales in Lithuania. The pandemic was an important factor in this renaissance in 2020 and 2021 as consumers were forced to spend more time at home. This led to a trend towards buying wine to…

Wine sales demonstrated good results in 2022 once pandemic-related restrictions had eased and consumers were able to pursue a greater degree of normality in their lives. Consumers returned to on-trade establishments in larger numbers in 2022…

As in 2021, “other” fortified wine posted the fastest total volume growth in 2022. This performance can be explained by the lower prices of these types of products, compared with other options in wine categories. Due to the effects of galloping…

Sales of spirits declined in off-trade and on-trade volume terms in 2022. The category experienced a strong rebound in demand in 2021 boosted by the easing of restrictions and consumers returning to on-trade outlets. However, with life in Lithuania…

2022 was a good year for the spirits category in Latvia following the relaxation of pandemic restrictions, with horeca establishments able to work at full capacity from March 2022. As a result, spirits sales grew significantly in the on- and…

In terms of single categories, tequila (and mezcal) registered the fastest total volume growth in 2022. This performance can be explained by several factors: increased awareness of tequila (and mezcal); greater availability on retail shelves; and…

RTDs saw heavy losses in total volume terms in 2022. In Lithuania, unlike in neighbouring Latvia, the category has a poor reputation with many consumers avoiding RTDs due to the perceived high sugar level in these drinks. Concerns over rising obesity…

RTDs have a strong presence in Latvia, where the category is well developed compared to the neighbouring Lithuanian market. With an array of brands vying for share, this is a saturated category where local manufacturers have carved out strong…

Cheaper RTDs are losing ground due to the strong competition from beer and wine, which offer a wide range of products at various price points to meet every budget. Meanwhile, more expensive RTDs are losing sales to cocktails. The Coronavirus…

Sales of cider/perry declined in 2022 after a brief revival in fortunes in 2021. Cider/perry has struggled to establish as significant demand as in other markets with it having a bad reputation for its high sugar content. With consumers becoming…

Cider witnessed strong growth in 2022 and continued to gain back the losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The consumer foodservice industry returned to operating at full capacity in 2022, leading to a resurgence in demand for cider, which is…

Cider/perry continued to see a dip in off-trade volume sales in 2022. The growing popularity of flavoured/mixed lager had a negative effect on cider/perry. Cider/perry retail unit prices rose in 2022 due to the galloping inflation in the country.…

2022 was a very good year for beer in Lithuania with sales seeing strong growth through both the off-trade and on-trade in volume terms. Life in Lithuania largely returned to relative normality in 2022 after the country’s pandemic restrictions were…

The beer category made a considerable recovery in 2022, with on-trade establishments fully re-opened from March 2022 as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were relaxed. On-trade volume sales soared as consumers returned to bars and restaurants, keen to…

As in 2021, ale posted the fastest total volume and value growth in 2022. This performance was connected with the trend for more premium, and expensive, beer, which is perceived to have a richer taste. Moreover, on-trade sales popularised ale more…

Alcoholic drinks saw steady growth in total volume terms in 2022. After the turmoil seen during the pandemic, sales began to stabilise in 2022 as COVID-19 fears subsided and restrictions were eased and consumers began to return to their old…

The Latvian economy began to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, but witnessed further instability from the geopolitical problems caused by the war in Ukraine. Nevertheless, alcoholic drinks reaped the benefits of the eased pandemic…

Beer witnessed a trend for more premium, perceived healthier and more expensive products like ale, which also benefited from the return to the on-trade channel as Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions were lifted. The prices of beer and other types of…

Growth in total volume sales of wine slowed in 2022, with the category recording weaker off- and on-trade results in this regard as compared to 2021. Demand was depressed by steep unit price hikes and falling purchasing power as inflation in Hungary…