Eastern Europe

Retail volume sales of processed fruit and vegetables continued to decline in 2023. This was due in a large part to the still-elevated rate of inflation, which impacted the cost of living and caused consumers to rationalise their spending. Consumers…

Processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat achieved minimal retail volume in 2023, although current value growth remains robust. Consumer demand has slowed down due in part to the country’s negative population growth. Rampant inflation has…

While current retail value sales of processed meat see double-digit growth in 2023, volume decline is attributable to higher unit prices, with the increasing cost of raw meat, animal food, energy and transportation being passed on to the consumer.…

Czechs continued to reduce their meat consumption in 2023, with a growing number of consumers identifying as flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan. This was tied to the high price of meat, due to the elevated rate of inflation, as well as environmental…

Processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat reported slightly negative volume growth in 2023, due to the decline in demand for chilled processed red meat and frozen processed red meat and seafood, which are mainly sold in bulk over the counter.…

In 2023, rice, pasta and noodles continued to see retail volume growth stabilise, as consumer demand normalised in pasta and rice after the fluctuations caused by the pandemic. Nonetheless, with the help of soaring unit prices due to inflation, rice,…

The rice, pasta and noodles category in Bulgaria remained flat in 2023, with only a marginal decline in retail volume sales. Rice continues to be the most significant category, both in value and volume sales, since it has a highly versatile…

Plain noodles are key ingredients in many Asian dishes and are therefore seeing strong demand as this cuisine continues to be popular amongst Croatians. Demand also continues to be supported by noodles’ quick preparation time. In addition, given the…

Retail volume sales of rice, pasta and noodles continued to decline in 2023. This was in the context of a high rate of inflation, which impacted the cost of living and caused consumers to rationalise their spending. While foodservice volumes saw…

In 2023, staple foods witnessed a slightly better performance in volume terms, even though consumer demand is beginning to stagnate in response to the country’s population decline, which is reducing the potential consumer base. Most staple food…

Staple foods continues to witness positive growth in 2023, in current value terms, due to high inflation and elevated retail prices. The consumption of staple foods has slowed, resulting in a slight decrease in retail volume sales for the full year.…

The sharp price growth in staple foods seen in 2022 has moderated in 2023. Retailers are trying to reduce further oscillations by introducing heavy discounts and gradual price changes. Whilst Croatian consumers remain extremely price sensitive due to…

Retail volume sales of staple foods in the Czech republic suffered a decline in sales in constant value terms in 2023, in the face of the rising cost of living, which curbed consumer spending. The country’s post-pandemic recovery was also derailed by…

In 2023, frozen cakes, sweet pies and tarts demonstrated the fastest current value growth in baked goods. Demand for these types of frozen baked goods is growing alongside the faster pace of life in Estonian society, although it remains a niche at…

Baked goods is a key staple in Georgia due to the strong popularity of unpackaged leavened bread, which continues to post solid volume growth in 2023, despite rising prices. Demand for this product is supported by the fact that it is an essential…

With inflation in Hungary remaining the highest in the EU, unit prices for packaged and unpackaged leavened bread have continued to rise at double-digit rates in 2023 despite a reduction in grain prices on international commodity markets.…

In 2023, baked goods in Poland has witnessed significant innovations, reshaping traditional baking practices. Notable player Dan Cake Polonia introduced an array of novel hamburger buns, including a bistro variant infused with natural sourdough and a…

Bread continues to hold a central role in baked goods in Romania, acting as a traditional and indispensable component of meals. The performance of baked goods in 2023 closely mirrored the trends observed in the bread product area. Despite the…

In 2023, commodity prices of wheat experienced a significant decrease from the heights of 2022. However, this reduction did not translate into lower unit prices in retail stores. The main contributing factor was the persistent increase in other…

During 2023, demand for bread continued to increase in Ukraine as government efforts to regulate the price of bread ensured that many of the products in the category remained affordable for the majority of Ukrainians. Indeed, the low average unit…