Hungary

The COVID-19 pandemic continued in 2021, which maintained the relevance of proximity, long opening hours and the availability of a wide range of products to enable one-stop grocery shopping. Supermarkets is able to meet all these requirements, and…

The increasing prevalence of insects throughout the country, especially in rural areas, led to growth of home insecticides in 2021. Sales of home insecticides continued to be determined primarily by prevailing weather conditions over the review…

The increasing use of air care products resulted from the rising number of sustainable products available in the market and innovation in terms of new fragrances. Also, Hungarian consumers were used to these products as they were increasingly used…

Sports drinks, which registered strong growth in the years up to the pandemic, was severely negatively impacted by government restrictions to halt the spread of the virus, including lockdowns. Moreover, sports drinks suffers from low awareness in…

The growth of the indigenous Hell energy drinks brand continued in 2021 where it accounted for just under half of overall value sales. The brand maintained robust growth in regular energy drinks in 2020 which it followed with double-digit growth in…

Having suffered the largest downturn in womenswear in the previous year, formal womenswear such as suits and dresses witnessed a very limited recovery in 2021, as COVID-19 related restrictions and consumer concerns about exposure to the SARS-CoV-2…

Sportswear saw high levels of demand in 2021, supported by a number of factors. The consumer emphasis on comfort over appearance and formality persisted during the year, with many people continuing to work from home for much of the time and…

Apparel accessories saw declines in both volume and value sales in 2021 primarily as a result of the sharp fall in demand for face masks as COVID-19 related restrictions were eased, vaccination programmes were rolled out and consumers became less…

In 2021, sales through vending machines were still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the related lockdowns and reduction in foot traffic. Although in 2021 the channel saw a significant rebound from the double-digit decline in current value terms…

Free from packaged food has continued to grow at a solid rate in 2021, thanks to spreading awareness of the products and health-awareness rising, boosting demand for free from lactose and free from gluten options.

Hot drinks remained popular in Hungary in 2021 although the shift towards the off-trade stimulated by the onset of the global pandemic in 2020 persisted. Consumers also increasingly looked for more sophisticated products with either functionality,…

A second wave of the COVID-19 virus negatively impacted branded products in 2021, especially those with a strong presence in the on-trade and which have a focus on on-the-go consumption packaging. Larger packages continued to be popular in 2021, as…

Concentrates remains a marginal and stable category in Hungary. During lockdowns it received a boost from increased time spent at home and consumers “hometaining”, preparing various cocktails at home. However, growth slowed dramatically in the second…

Hungarians’ brand loyalty remained quite high in sanitary protection in 2021 as consumers continued to prioritise product reliability, comfort and safety. A shift towards to cheaper products was therefore not evident in 2021. Meanwhile, seasonality…

The number of live births in Hungary rose for the first time in the review period in 2020. As a result, there was an expanded consumer base for baby and toddler wear in 2021. There is a significant second-hand market for children’s clothing in…

Direct selling maintained solid current value growth in 2020, and continued to see sales rise, although at a slower rate, in 2021. Most direct sellers, both operators themselves and their agents, had already set up solid knowledge and infrastructure…

Convenience stores in smaller towns and villages, especially those in the catchment areas of other modern grocery retailers with a highly competitive price level, have been losing business. The COVID-19 pandemic transformed grocery shopping, leading…

Sales of polishes slowed during COVID-19 as home care products with perceived hygiene benefits were considered as a priority and saw higher demand. In 2021, however, sales record growth as the situation with COVID-19 improved, restrictions were…

Consumers remained interested in strong and powerful disinfectants to protect themselves against COVID-19 and stable growth of bleach was consequently recorded in 2021. Bleach is highly effective, cheap and can be used for many purposes, including…

The optimistic scenario offered by the rollout of the country’s vaccination programme in 2021, leading to hopes that the pandemic would ease its grip on consumer foodservice and tourism (as a key sales driver) quickly disappeared with the emergence…