Malaysia

After another difficult year in 2021 when retail was hit by further lockdowns and restrictions, the picture was much brighter in 2022 as the country entered a period of normalisation. The lifting of Malaysia’s international border restrictions in…

In contrast to most other home care categories, demand for home insecticides was not significantly affected by the pandemic. Home insecticides are regarded as essential by most local consumers, as the mosquito-borne disease, dengue fever, is endemic…

The Malaysian population continued to be adversely affected by the uncertain economic situation that unfolded due to the interruption that the pandemic caused to commercial activity in key sectors of the Malaysian economy. Within this context,…

Lifestyle and fashion trends continued to militate against the development of the polishes category in 2022. Regarding furniture polish, the category has seen demand undermined by trends towards more minimalist interior design, with young homeowners…

The laundry detergents category dominates retail current value sales of laundry care, with concentrated powder detergents particularly popular, as these products are perceived as both effective and affordable. Indeed, some lower-income consumers in…

Category leader Amway saw dynamic growth during the pandemic, reinforcing its leadership in the category as its sales increased substantially over the course of 2020 and 2021. The international direct selling company’s very solid performance towards…

Standard towels contribute the lion’s share in the sanitary protection category: female consumers look for length of sanitary pads instead of value-added features such as antibacterial properties, scent, cooling features and so on. Consumers tend to…

Consumer Foodservice in Malaysia saw solid growth in 2022, although current value sales remained below pre-pandemic levels. The easing of various national COVID-19 related measures, including the removal of the Government’s Movement Control Order in…

Social distancing measures remain in effect in Malaysia in 2021, with consumers forced to avoid spending time outside of the home wherever possible and huge numbers of white-collar professionals, office workers and service industry personnel working…

The development of the retail tissue category was affected by inflationary pressure in 2022. Following the global imposition of lockdowns during the COVID-19 crisis, the category faced the inflated costs of raw materials, supply issues and the…

Since local consumers spent more time at home during the COVID-19 crisis due to lockdown restrictions and home working, they needed to clean their toilets more frequently, supporting rising demand for toilet care products. COVID-19 also supported…

Home care disinfectants saw retail volume sales decline in 2022 following the peak hit at the height of the COVID-19 crisis when concerns about exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus encouraged consumers to pay considerable attention to sanitising…

The home care market in Malaysia saw marked price rises in 2022 as a result of global increases in the costs of raw materials, energy and transportation, as well as the weakness of the local currency. Home care products saw prices increase by more…

The COVID-19 crisis has significantly bolstered Malaysian consumers’ awareness of issues around hygiene and contamination. Feeling the need to clean surfaces such as tables, children’s high chairs, toys, door handles, desks and public toilet seats,…

Traditional methods of washing dishes continue to predominate in Malaysia, with hand dishwashing products remaining the preferred option amongst local consumers. Liquid format products are most popular amongst urban consumers, while paste is…

Since the reopening of the country’s international borders in April 2022, there have been an increasing number of vending machines available in Malaysia in locations such as highway rest and service areas, petrol stations, universities, hospitals and…

Having seen a surge in demand in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the bleach category saw declining volume sales in 2021 and 2022. Bleach’s dynamism at the height of the pandemic was due to its strong cleaning properties. In fact, the…

Car air fresheners is the largest air care category in the Malaysian market, with these products seen as essential items by many car owners in Malaysia. Cars are the main mode of transportation for local consumers and, with the country transitioning…

Like hypermarkets, the supermarkets channel struggled for growth during the pandemic as consumers adjusted their shopping behaviour. Due to the restrictions in place and the fear of contagion, alongside a shift to home working arrangements, many…

Hypermarkets have been facing several challenges, which includes high operating costs and waning consumer appetite for this type of retail format, resulting in some players struggling to survive. The intense competition with convenience stores is…