Eastern Europe

In the past few years, gum has experienced significant setbacks, with annual volume sales declining from between 5 and 23% during this period. The COVID-19 pandemic had a particularly negative impact on the gum category, but this was followed by a…

While gum is expected to register an increase in current value sales, constant value sales are expected to fall, due to high inflation. Volume growth is also expected to be marginal. Gum is gradually losing popularity and it increasingly gets bad…

There was an increase in retail volume sales of chocolate confectionery in 2023 due to two contributing factors. First, the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions has seen much of the local workforce return to the office after working from home,…

Chocolate confectionery continued to face inflationary pressures in 2023, following an increase of between 10-15% in unit prices in 2022. The war in Ukraine and subsequent changes in logistics impacted the supply chain and drove up variable costs. In…

Chocolate confectionery is expected to be the best performing snack in 2023, with healthy constant value and volume growth. Per capita consumption is on the rise, largely fuelled by a growing appetite for dark chocolate, which is seen as healthier.…

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…

Off-trade wine, which accounts for the majority of sales in Croatia, recorded slight decline in 2022 in volume terms following a strong year in 2021 when sales recovered after the pandemic. Increased demand for more affordable brands was evident in…

Growth in total volume sales of spirits in 2022 was well down from 2021, with demand slowing sharply at the off- and on-trade levels. Because these products are comparatively expensive, the category was particularly exposed to more cautious attitudes…

Spirits recorded another year of growth in 2022 thanks to rising demand for quality spirits in the country. The low unit price increase of spirits also attracted increasingly price-sensitive consumers with reduced disposable incomes as a result of…

RTDs experienced a particularly steep slowdown in total volume sales growth in 2022. The category was more exposed than most as rapidly rising inflation led Hungarians to exercise greater caution in their spending decisions, as these products are…

With the lifting of most of the pandemic-related restrictions, the home consumption of RTDs started to suffer in 2022. Meanwhile, the strong recovery of on-trade sales can be attributed to an exceptionally successful tourist season and the return of…

Despite the business landscape enjoying relative economic freedom, political instability has been a common feature of Slovakia. Although joblessness is relatively low, wages are increasing, also adding to very high inflation, whilst the war in…

Corruption continues to hamper economic freedom and fiscal health could be improved, but Romania has entered a period of political stability. Economic development is set to slow, as high inflation erodes purchasing power and has led to greater…

An unbiased judiciary weakens the rule of law and corruption is more prevalent, but the business environment continues to thrive. Although the economy is expected to slow markedly in the short term owing to high inflation, medium-term prospects are…

Like the other main areas of Hungary’s alcoholic drinks market, cider/perry saw growth in total volume sales slow sharply in 2022 as the rapidly rising cost of living prompted consumers to rein in discretionary spending. It continued to perform…

Cider/perry is comparatively new in Croatia, first developing visible share in 2010. The relative immaturity has driven strong growth from a low base over the review period. Off-trade consumption of cider/perry continued to grow in 2022, benefiting…

While total volume sales of beer in Hungary continued to increase in 2022, growth was slower than in 2021 and by the end of the year they had still not reached pre-pandemic levels. Overall demand was constrained by rising prices and falling…

Beer sales have been revived with the recovery of tourism in Croatia. Following two years of pandemic-related restrictions, there were no border restrictions or on-trade measures imposed in 2022. However, while on-trade sales, which are largely…

While alcoholic drinks in Hungary recorded substantially improved growth in total current value sales in 2022, this was primarily due to soaring inflation fuelled by the global recovery from COVID-19, the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and…

2022 was a tough year for alcoholic drinks in Croatia as high inflation impacted discretionary spending in the year. Fortunately, this was offset by strong growth in the on-trade channel as tourism was almost at its pre-pandemic level. Rising prices…