The pandemic has impacted the traditional toys industry unfavourably in Southeast Asia, except for Singapore. This is a striking difference from other regions where a prolonged stay at home period and travel restrictions have is due mainly to economic strain which stopped consumers from purchasing non-essential goods, and the exponential rise of free-to-play video games. Despite the challenging environment, the toy industry in the region remains afloat and can look forward to the future, because of ‘kidults’.
Inflation has been intensifying in Indonesia, given supply chain constraints, oil price hikes, as well as rising fuel costs. However, manufacturers have remained positive and proved adaptable in retaining the selling price to consumers. At the same time, consumers are also regaining a positive outlook, as indicated by positive retail spending in 2022. Nonetheless, the next year is crucial to consumption growth in Indonesia, with fears of global inflation, and political change in Indonesia as elections are around the corner.
In 2022, Euromonitor researched the Japanese cannabis market for the first time. While only in its initial stages, there are high growth opportunities, particularly among health-conscious Japanese consumers, given inherent demand for better sleep and pain relief.
The pandemic has raised pet ownership rates, particularly cats and small dogs in Asian cities, alongside improving attitudes towards pet care. However, inflationary pressure on the cost of living will drive cautious spending among consumers, raising the need for a clear value positioning. Pet parents switching from table scraps will also seek nutritional benefits from retail pet food, hence casting a focus on functional ingredients and nutrition.
With price inflation impacting almost all consumer packaged goods globally in 2022, including in Asia Pacific, this report seeks to examine how soft drinks companies and consumers have been impacted. By looking at the median price movements of leading soft drinks categories across various markets, we are able to analyse and evaluate varying company strategies in light of growing inflationary pressures.