Slovakia

Real GDP will contract sharply in 2020. Despite substantial government measures put in place to cushion the impact, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is projected to temporarily suppress domestic demand, the main driver of the recession in 2020. ...

On-trade sales in alcoholic drinks in Slovakia are being decimated by the impact of COVID-19 in 2020. The early closure of horeca establishments has meant that the on-trade channel has been under severe economic pressure since the spring. Though ...

The heavyweight of alcoholic drinks in Slovakia, beer remained the largest category in alcoholic drinks in 2019, dominating volume sales as well as outpacing all other sin terms of total volume growth, thanks to its off-trade performance. It also ...

Wine was the second-largest category in terms of total volume sales in 2019 and saw only marginal growth during the year as it declined in off-trade channels while on-trade sales rose only slightly. However, in terms of current value sales, wine ...

Spirits was second only to beer in terms of total volume growth in 2019, though its growth was nonetheless meagre, driven by on-trade sales as it stagnated in off-trade channels. Spirits continued to account for the highest proportion of current ...

Cider/perry was the second-smallest category in total volume terms in alcoholic drinks in Slovakia in 2019, after RTDs. Along with RTDs, it was the only category to decline in both volume and value terms across off- and on-trade channels. Cider/perry...

The outbreak of COVID-19 in Slovakia is expected to have a positive impact on value growth for smokeless tobacco, e-vapours and heated tobacco, as well as sales of cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco, in 2020. However, much of this positive growth...

Flavoured cigarettes are set to be banned in Slovakia from May 2020. This move is predicted to result in smokers switching to flavoured cigarillos as an alternative. This is supported by cigars, cigarillos and pipe tobacco not being impacted by the ...

Vaping in Slovakia became increasing popular during 2019. However, this popularity led to the announcement of a higher excise tax, which will be implemented during 2020 or 2021, rising prices to stand at a similar level to neighbouring countries. ...

Fine cut tobacco drove sales in 2019, becoming increasingly popular in Slovakia during the year. Make-your-own tobacco was an increasing trend, thanks to its premium positioning and significantly lower cost per stick. Promotions, marketing activities...

As disposable income rose, depilatories products faced strengthening competition from technological innovations, particularly electric hair removers. Products which claim to epilate and prolong the period between the necessity to remove hair, such as...

Oral care is a relatively mature category in Slovakia and as such players are having to come up with new ways to add value and to maintain profits. To encourage consumers to trade up to premium products there was widespread usage of promotions at the...

Parents in Slovakia are becoming increasingly well informed with regard to what products are best for their children, with a particular focus on the sensitivity of babies’ skin. As a result, dermocosmetics have become more commonplace in the market, ...

E-commerce continues to expand in Slovakia with both retailers and brands looking to expand their online presence. E-commerce saw strong growth over the review period with it opening up the market to niche players offering premium beauty and personal...

Premiumisation in skin care was a major trend in 2019, with masstige brands and premium products gaining ground. Pharmaceutical brands which have clinically tested results are becoming more popular every year, with the selection becoming ever larger....

Sales of beauty and personal care in Slovakia are expected to decline in 2020 in constant 2019 value terms, with most categories being hit hard by measures taken to control COVID-19. With consumers forced to remain at home their interest in personal ...

Key make-up trends among women in Slovakia in 2019 included the glam look and the natural look, with key beneficiaries of these trends being facial and eye make-up. Perfect brows became a feature of colour cosmetics at the end of the review period ...

Incomes continued to rise in 2019 while employment levels remained stable with this feeding increased consumer confidence. This translated into growing demand for higher quality and masstige beauty and personal care with consumers no longer solely ...

Men’s grooming is an established category in Slovakia with men generally preferring products which have a more masculine scent in the case of Men’s fragrances, toiletries and deodorants. In the case of men’s shaving not only do men generally prefer ...

Rising purchasing power in Slovakia has led to an increasing preference for taking summer holidays outside Slovakia, particularly to Croatia, Bulgaria and Italy. Although some consumers buy sun care while on holiday, many also stock up before they ...