Eastern Europe

The global wheat market in 2023 has seen a recovery in supply, following tight global supply and skyrocketing wheat prices in 2022 resulting from the onset of the war in Ukraine. Increased wheat exports from Russia, readjustments of supply chains and…

Albania is advancing with its programme to join the European Union (EU), but the large informal economy and endemic problems still hold it back. Annual real GDP growth is expected to slow down over the near term. Albania offers a large labour force,…

The briefing examines how the food, beverages and tobacco industry is performing globally and in the largest countries in terms of food, beverages and tobacco output. The report also provides data for production, market size, imports, exports,…

Cylinder vacuum cleaners remained the largest category among vacuum cleaners in 2023. Most consumers in the country own a powerful cylinder vacuum cleaner at home, with many using them sparingly when wanting to do a complete and thorough cleaning of…

In 2023, sweet spreads witnessed a moderate decline in retail volume, primarily driven by reduced consumer demand for chocolate spreads and jams and preserves. These categories faced challenges due to the ongoing negative impact of health and…

Sports drinks was already a niche even before the pandemic, but what sales did exist registered heavy losses following Russia’s invasion in early 2022. Many men joined the armed forces in response to the invasion and as such were forced to give up…

Sales of soft drinks have been significantly impacted by Russia’s war in Ukraine and soaring inflation. Besides the resulting decline in the population and the loss of territories, the market also faces other obstacles including consumers downtrading…

Retail volume sales declined in 2023 due to the rising cost of living and inflation, with many consumers cutting down on purchases of products they felt were unessential, such as small cooking appliances. As such, instead of purchasing new small…

In 2023, all sauces, dips, and condiments witnessed positive moderate retail volume growth, except for mayonnaise and mustard, which experienced a moderate decline. This decline can be attributed to various factors, including the impact of health and…

RTD tea suffered significant losses during 2022 as category was not a priority for either manufacturers or consumers. The supply of these products was limited, while there were out-of-stock situations seen during the high season. There is also a…

RTD coffee only started to gain a significant presence in Ukraine during the pandemic but after a bright start the category saw a steep decline in 2022 because of the impact of Russia’s invasion on the supply chain and import issues. Leading retailer…

There was a slight decline in retail volume sales noted in refrigeration appliances in 2023, with sales of freezers falling. These products significantly consume energy, and with the substantial price increase seen in 2023, most consumers were not…

Hair care appliances held most of the retail volume share among personal care appliances in 2023, with these products attracting more consumers and recording growth. Significant price increases were seen in beauty salons and for consumers. This led…

Microwaves gained positive retail volume sales in 2023, driven by several factors. Firstly, these appliances were offered at significantly lower prices when compared to other major appliances, not impacted as significantly by price hikes during the…

In 2023, meals and soups experienced continued robust retail volume growth, propelled by the solid performance of shelf-stable ready meals and frozen pizza. Despite being the largest category, soups faced a moderate decline due to shifting consumer…

Large cooking appliances saw a slight retail volume decline in 2023 due to high and growing price points. Large appliances have higher prices, and as such, consumers postpone their purchasing during a time of rising living costs. With a decline in…

Juice was one of the hardest hit soft drinks categories following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and it saw only a modest recovery in retail volume terms in 2023. The category lost a tangible share of its key target audience following Russia’s…

The home laundry appliances landscape recorded an overall retail volume decline in 2023, challenged by inflation and rising price points. Automatic dryers continued to decline in terms of retail volume in 2023. Media in the country were active in…

The high and rising energy prices led some consumers to cook less in 2023 to save costs, with others focusing on shorter cooking times. In addition, many postponed the replacement of food preparation appliances to save money and spend on necessary…

Energy drinks was the only soft drinks category in Ukraine to see retail volume growth both in 2022 and 2023. This dynamic growth related to the strong increase in demand from volunteers, doctors, armed forces, and other people looking for an energy…