Eastern Europe

While consumer health in Hungary is set to post robust growth in total current value sales in 2023, this is primarily due to inflationary pressures fuelled by the global recovery from the pandemic, the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the…

In 2023, the consumer health market in Bulgaria is set to see steady current value growth, with sales set to continue to fall at constant 2023 prices, though at a slower rate than in the previous year in both cases. Consumer preferences are shifting…

In 2023, analgesics is set to see strong growth supported by rising prices in the context of generally high rates of inflation. After strong growth in 2020 due to stockpiling and decline in 2021, the category returned to growth in 2022 and has…

As consumption patterns continue to stabilise following three years of pandemic-induced disruption, the majority of analgesics categories in Hungary are projected to contract in volume terms in 2023. Rates of decline in most look set to be modest,…

The analgesics market in Bulgaria has reached a mature stage, characterised by steady growth and well-established product offerings. This maturity is evident in the consistent demand for pain relief solutions driven by factors such as an ageing…

Wound care in Slovakia is consolidated around few key players. Hartmann-Rico, the historical leader with a wide range of brands, is expected to remain clear of the field in retail value share terms in 2023, followed by 3M (East), Interpharm Slovakia…

Demand for wound care products remains stable and, with rising unit prices in line with inflation, it is seeing strong retail value growth in 2023. Both major categories - sticking plasters/adhesive bandages and gauze, tape and other wound care - are…

With COVID-19 restrictions lifted, sales of wound care in Lithuania heightened as consumers were back to previous active lifestyles. This is especially true for children, boosting sales of basic products for small injuries and cuts. Compeed branded…

Wound care is expected to see stagnant current value growth in 2023 after a period of fluctuation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers have fully returned to outdoor activities and consequently, various minor injuries are fuelling sales of…

Over 2023, meal replacement is projected to see further, if slight, retail volume growth and fast retail current value, fuelled by high inflation. The category is driven by innovation and strong marketing activities in support of the leading meal…

Weight management and wellbeing tops the list of fastest growing categories as the health and wellness trend continues to influence consumers in North Macedonia in 2023. Also, a growing number of people are struggling with obesity, high blood…

Weight management is not traditionally a first choice for consumers in Lithuania regarding weight management or losing weight. Competition from sports nutrition, healthier diets and exercise plans, are all challenges to sales, hampering results.…

There has been a strong increase in current value sale of weight management and wellbeing in 2023, although inflation has been a contributory factor pushing up prices. Consumers have resumed their active social lives and body image is a much higher…

Vitamins witnessed two years of fast growth in both retail volume and current value terms in 2020 and 2021 as consumers looked for immunity and general health properties to offer resistance to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, as the…

Vitamins is experiencing strong double-digit value growth in 2023 due to rising unit prices and rampant inflation in the country. Volume sales, meanwhile, have normalised following a strong boost during the pandemic as consumers bought vitamins in…

2023 was a positive year for sales of vitamins in Lithuania. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, new habits have formed in the country, with consumers keen to take care of their immune systems, with a solid and growing focus on preventative health…

Although vitamins are still witnessing solid current growth in 2023, demand is now subsiding after several years of dynamic performance during the pandemic years. Retail volume and current value sales are now substantially higher than pre-pandemic…

In 2023, sports nutrition continues to recover from the general decline in retail volume and value sales in 2020. This downturn was caused by the exigencies of Coronavirus (COVID-19), which saw gyms close amid lockdown and home seclusion measures.…

Sports nutrition is an extremely popular category in 2023, especially sports protein powder and non-protein products. These products are equally used by professional body builders and those who exercise regularly and want to build muscle. As a…

Sports nutrition is gaining ground in 2023, with sales benefiting from lifting all COVID-19 restrictions, seeing consumers returning to an increasingly active lifestyle. In addition, interest in health and sports is continuing to increase and find…

The rising number of usage occasions is driving sales of sports nutrition products in Latvia, with double-digit current value growth reported in 2023. Historically, sports nutrition products were mainly used by professional athletes and bodybuilders,…

The demand for sleep aids increased during the height of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Heightened stress and anxiety levels increased the numbers of users and fostered greater use of sleep aids amid health, economic and social uncertainty. The…

The post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic wave of respiratory infections drove dynamic retail volume and current value growth in paediatric cough/cold remedies in 2022. This followed a strong rebound in demand in 2021, which was, in turn, informed by…

Paediatric consumer health is achieving strong double-digit value growth in 2023 as a result of consumer demand for high-quality consumer health products positioned for children, coupled with rising unit prices and the impact of inflation. Paediatric…

Despite seeing growth levels less than in 2022, 2023 has been a positive year for paediatric consumer health in Lithuania. In spite of soaring inflation caused by the energy crisis as a result of the war in Ukraine, paediatric consumer health will…

The winter of 2022-2023 was a very strong period for paediatric consumer health in Latvia. Children fully returned to schools and kindergartens and consequently common viruses began to circulate in society, with high levels of minor health issues.…

Although smoking prevalence and the number of smokers in Slovakia have been falling gradually, they are still considered high, compared to other European countries. In December 2022, the Slovak government approved an action plan, with a focus on…

The strong wave of influenza in Q1 2023 and the stronger than anticipated return of common respiratory infections are stimulating the demand for many herbal/traditional products in Slovakia at the end of the review period. Herbal/traditional products…

An improved quality of life, higher living standards, and the health and wellness trend (and its associated link with more natural products) is driving volume sales of herbal/traditional products in 2023. Also, consumers are increasingly prepared to…

Herbal/traditional medicine is generally very popular in the Lithuanian market, covering local and international players. The landscape is a sizeable product area in Lithuania, and in 2023, despite soaring inflation caused by an energy crisis,…

Herbal/traditional products remain very popular in Latvia, where they are usually used for tackling minor illnesses. Indeed, consumers in Latvia are already quite familiar with using herbal/traditional remedies for the treatment and prevention of…

As the incidence of allergies is rising in Slovakia, consumers continue to purchase allergy eye care products. Over 2023, allergy eye care is expected to follow strong double-digit retail volume growth in 2022 with a good, if much slower, increment.…

The return of international travel to pre-Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels and the resumption of hectic lifestyles boost the demand for digestive remedies. More and more consumers are keen to resume their pre-pandemic travel norms, regardless…

Amidst significant unit price increases and inflation, digestive remedies is experiencing double-digit retail value growth in 2023, making a strong rebound following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and people resuming travel. Paediatric…

The digestive category is not very active within Lithuania. Despite this, in 2023, sales are returning to a pre-pandemic state. Proton pump inhibitors are gaining a share, which was lost by H2 blockers, with brands such as Nolpaza doing well in this…

At the beginning of 2023, Latvians were still in the process of returning to normal professional and social activities, following the final removal of all pandemic-related restrictions. As a result, the digestive remedies category is still seeing a…

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic brought spikes in retail volume and current value growth across most categories of dietary supplements in 2020 and 2021. Dietary supplements with immune system positioning saw particularly strong interest from…

Dietary supplements are seeing a strong double-digit increase in retail value sales in 2023 as a result of rising unit prices amidst rampant inflation in the country. Volume growth, meanwhile, is driven by the health and wellness trend and people…

In a similar vein to vitamins, dietary supplements saw positive performances in Lithuania in 2023. New consumption habits with regard to preventative health measures have added momentum to sales. However, sales have been somewhat dampened by the…

Dietary supplements registered another strong performance in 2023, with double-digit growth in current value terms. Consumers have adopted healthier habits since the pandemic, and are keen to invest more in their health and immunity. Dietary…

Hair loss treatments is expected to continue to see strong retail volume and current value growth over 2023. Indeed, hair loss treatments is projected to record the fastest retail volume growth at the end of the review period. Mild-to-severe hair…

In line with the overall performance of skin care products in beauty and personal care in North Macedonia, dermatologicals is one of the fastest growing consumer health category thanks to strong and continued consumer demand. The product and brand…

The dermatologicals landscape is experiencing a downward momentum in some categories, which have found themselves losing share and importance following the outbreak of COVID-19. Topical Germicidals/Antiseptics is one of the categories which is set to…

Although dermatologicals continues to enjoy steady growth in 2023, current value sales have slowed down compared to the double-digit rates seen at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst spending more time at home, Latvian consumers became…

In Slovakia, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies was characterised by very strong increases in retail volume sales of OTC remedies for sore throats, coughs and colds. The high demand was the result of extremely high morbidity throughout the…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies is seeing slower growth in 2023 due to a shorter cold season caused by milder winter 2022/2023. The exception is antihistamines, which continues to grow at a solid rate due to high consumer demand amidst…

2023 marks the year when the cough and cold landscape is set to lose its uplift due to COVID-19, returning to a level closer to that seen pre-pandemic. Sales have continued to benefit from harsh seasonal colds and the flu season of 2022-2023.…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies in Latvia is registering moderate growth in 2023 as the category begins to stabilise post-pandemic. Retail value sales rebounded strongly 2022 after two years of decline, with lifestyles shifting back to…

Consumer health in Slovakia is affected by changes in purchasing behaviour as a result of the fading Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the effects of the war in Ukraine and a cost of living crisis amid high inflation. However, the issue of high…

Despite higher standards of living in North Macedonia, economic challenges resulting in low disposable incomes remain, with the situation further exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine. This has led to double-digit inflation, which is increasing…