Serbia

Serbia’s economy is strengthening. Private consumption, a double-digit gain in exports and investment are the main drivers. Public spending will also increase. Unemployment should decline over the next several years but continue to be relatively high...

Eastern Europe is expected to see a somewhat improved performance after the economic downturn in some of its key markets. A number of factors will continue to impact both volume and value sales of laundry care, such as financial uncertainties, ...

Skin care sales in Eastern Europe have shown unspectacular results as weak economies in the region’s largest countries have hindered sales. Turnovers are picking up with shoppers becoming more affluent as well as educated. Previously unseen brands ...

Serbia traditionally suffers from fairly high illicit volume sales of cigarettes, which has been a huge problem for large tobacco producers for years and has led to them investing many resources into lobbying to reduce the illicit trade. This was one...

Within overall Serbian cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco, fine cut tobacco recorded the best performance in 2017. Strong growth was also achieved by filter cigarillos and flavoured cigarillos, while pipe tobacco continued to decline. The latter ...

Cigarettes and pipe tobacco were the only two categories within Serbian tobacco to record volume declines in 2017, while all others recorded growth in volume and value terms as well. Furthermore, vapour products achieved high value growth rates in ...

In April 2017, Philip Morris launched the first heated tobacco brand in Serbia – Iqos. The brand was launched in several of the largest cities and was heavily marketed via point-of-sale promotions and banners. Throughout 2017 and into 2018, many ...

Although life expectancy and living standards are improving, developing countries also experience a rapid rise in health problems such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels. Caused mainly by dietary changes and a ...

Over the review period, Serbia witnessed the mass penetration of craft beer. New developments in 2017 included significantly improved distribution and the appearance of new brands or brand extensions. As of 2015, craft beer was mostly available ...

Cider/perry is mostly consumed by women in Serbia. Men tend to see cider/perry as drinks for women. They are deterred by significantly higher unit prices compared with beer. Nonetheless, cider/perry won over consumers from flavoured/mixed lager, ...

Alcoholic drinks stabilised to record slight total volume sales growth in 2016 and 2017. Cider/perry, non alcoholic beer and non-grape wine posted fast growth in 2017, albeit from low a sales base, which limited their effect on the industry ...

The on-trade channel continued to see the fastest volume sales growth in 2017, although it lagged far behind the off-trade channel in actual sales terms. There was an improved offer of RTDs/high-strength premixes in the on-trade channel. Sales were ...

“Other” spirits (rachiu/rakija) held the highest total volume share in spirits throughout the review period. These products are highly popular due to a very long tradition of consumption in Serbia. Liqueurs and brandy also accounted for high shares. ...

Many Serbian consumers benefited from the general improvement in economic conditions during 2017, as the country recorded healthy real GDP growth. This encouraged some consumers to spend more on wine in order to purchase superior quality products. ...

In the mass media, there has been an upsurge of reports about the harm that the sun’s UV radiation can do to human health. Serbian parents tend to be very protective in regard to their children and it is not at all surprising that baby and ...

During the course of the review period, sales of intimate washes rose strongly in current value terms and this trend not only continued, but even intensified in 2017. Intimate washes was, in fact, the fastest-growing category within overall bath and ...

In 2017, many consumers who previously had no knowledge at all about the availability of BB/CC creams learned that they can purchase these products in Serbia and also learned a thing or two about their apparent benefits. This of course had a positive...

Serbian consumers have started to pay much more attention to product ingredients in regard to most beauty and personal care categories. However, this trend was most visible in deodorants in 2017. One could, for example, see many messages on product ...

All of the three categories in depilatories – hair removers/bleaches, women’s pre-shave and women’s razors and blades – posted relatively strong current value growth during 2017. The main factors in this performance are the somewhat improved general ...

Fragrance products are considered by many Serbian consumers to be non-essential and people are quick to cut back on such expenses during times of economic turmoil. However, when the situation is the opposite, ie when disposable income is growing, ...