Staple Foods

Sales of rice, pasta, and noodles saw a sharp decline in sales in retail volume terms in 2022 with only modest growth seeing seen in 2023. This can be attributed in large part to a stabilisation of demand following the dynamic growth experienced in…

The maturing meat substitutes market is experiencing a slowdown in volume growth due to several factors. Firstly, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have played a role in the sales decline, impacting consumer behaviour and preferences.…

Sales of processed poultry have continued to grow in retail volume terms in 2023 despite the high price hikes caused by inflation and the increase in the cost of raw materials and energy. These products are still relatively cheap compared to other…

Processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat continued to see the normalisation of volume sales in 2023. Foodservice volume sales recovered at the expense of retail volume sales as Coronavirus (COVID-19) and related restrictions eased and lifted.…

In 2023, the growth of processed meat in Ireland was driven by robust demand from the UK and EU, comprising 43% and 47% of the total value of Irish beef exports, respectively. Furthermore, there were promising opportunities in Asia, notably China,…

Processed fruit and vegetables, as a product area, faces challenges stemming from significant price increases. Manufacturers continue to grapple with the repercussions of 2022's gas price hikes, which have driven up production costs. As a result,…

Processed fruits and vegetables, rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, are becoming increasingly popular as part of a balanced diet and overall wellbeing. Moreover, these products cater to the growing demand for plant-based…

Like other categories of staple foods, processed fruit and vegetables continued to see a normalisation of volume sales in 2023. This followed the channels shifts seen during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, when foodservice volume sales plummeted…

Organic food is popular among Danish consumers, with it being seen to embody a blend of quality, health, and environmental responsibility. They typically often associate organic products with fewer pesticides, better nutritional value, and a lower…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

Consumers are increasingly viewing breakfast cereal as a healthy option, driving the growth of muesli and granola while hindering the expansion of children's cereals, which tend to be high in sugar. In response to this, manufacturers of children's…

In 2023, breakfast cereals saw a significant shift towards online sales, a trend that was largely driven by the rise of e-commerce and home delivery services. The COVID-19 pandemic played a crucial role in this transition, as local consumers…

Breakfast cereals witnessed the normalisation of demand towards the end of the review period as foodservice continued to bounce back from the devastating impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As foodservice volume sales rebounded, retail…

Breakfast cereals, along with most packaged food categories, faced notable price hikes in 2022, precipitated by high inflation and wheat shortages. Thus, the category saw double-digit growth in current value terms in 2022 but a slight decline in…

Bread continues to be perceived as a fundamental staple, offering affordability and nutritional value. It remains a popular choice for lunch, serving as the primary mealtime option, closely followed by breakfast. Despite the emergence of alternative…

Baked goods has seen a significant shift in consumer preferences, with an increasing demand for plant-based and vegan alternatives over traditional products. This trend is primarily fuelled by the growing awareness of the health and environmental…

Baked goods saw increasing unit prices driven by inflation and growing production costs in 2023. The category also continued to see a normalising of demand, as volume sales moved back to foodservice and away from retail as the Coronavirus (COVID-19)…

The health and wellness movement continues to drive demand for organic and eco-friendly products within baked goods. Even though many Danes are on the lookout for cost-effective options, they are increasingly open to paying a premium for products…

Rising production costs due to the energy crisis, labour shortages, and the increasing price of raw materials across the entire supply chain led to strong rises in the prices of staple foods in 2022. High single-digit price increases are also…

Staple foods in Spain has experienced stagnation in retail volume terms, albeit with a slight improvement compared to the decline seen in the previous year. The lack of movement in retail volume terms largely relates to the significant impact of…

Overall, 2023 was a challenging year for the staple foods sector in Italy, characterised by stagnation in retail sales volumes. However, the market saw considerable current value growth driven by persistent inflationary pressure. During the second…

Sales of staple foods have been negatively impacted by the elevated inflation that hit France in late 2022 and early 2023. As a result, the vast majority of prices went up across staple foods with volume sales either showing minimal growth or even…

In the wake of a tumultuous 2022, beleaguered by soaring inflation and a difficult agricultural season, staple foods in Belgium is enjoying a period of relief in 2023. The previous year's rampant unit price increases cast long shadows, precipitating…

In 2022, rice, pasta and noodles was one of the categories that faced strong price increases due to the supply chain crisis, with wheat and rice shortages putting particular pressure on production costs. Further high single-digit price increases are…

After sales were negatively impacted by inflation in 2022, sales of rice, pasta, and noodles have shown more resilience in terms of volume consumption in 2023. Pasta and rice are included in the basic basket of goods in Spain and continue to be…

In recent years, the consumption of noodles in Italy has seen a notable rise in demand, both in terms of classic noodles and instant noodles. This trend can be attributed to Italian consumers’ growing appreciation of food from other culinary…

Rice and pasta have both been impacted by price rises, but unlike most other areas of staple foods volume sales in these categories have continued to rise. This is largely due to the fact that these types of products can still offer value for money,…

Rice, pasta and noodles is feeling the impact of the war in Ukraine. Wheat prices, having surged in 2022—continuing a trend from previous difficult harvests in North America— have led to soaring retail prices of dry pasta. Despite a semblance of…

The consumption of processed meat continues to decline in France in 2023, although the category has continued to see strong growth in current value terms. This contrasting performance is down to the significant price hikes witnessed in 2022 and 2023,…

In 2022, the impact of inflation was evident in various areas of the market, including processed meat and processed seafood. Both of these categories experienced a decline in retail volume terms, while seeing healthy growth in current value terms.…

In 2023, processed meat and seafood in Belgium has been facing a challenging environment, with negative factors influencing performance. The year has continued the downward trajectory seen in 2022, marked by a compound set of stressors—notably the…

Processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat recorded severe losses in retail volume sales in 2022, and decline is set to continue in 2023, although at a slower rate, with demand being heavily affected by the cost-of-living crisis. As consumers…

Processed poultry continues to grow in volume terms across chilled, shelf stable and frozen formats. Italy is amongst the leading poultry breeders and producers in Europe, and Italian consumers are tending to increase their consumption of poultry…

In 2022, retail volume sales of processed fruit and vegetables were challenged by inflationary pressures. The category, which recorded strong growth in 2020 when COVID-19 lockdown restrictions turned consumers towards convenient food solutions, has…

Shelf stable beans continue to drive retail volume growth in shelf stable fruit and vegetables in 2023 with all of the other categories positing declines. Shelf stable beans benefit from their status as staple products in the Spanish diet, with these…

In recent years, a significant increase in legume consumption has been observed in Italy. This trend is largely attributed to increased awareness of the health benefits associated with consuming these types of foods, as well as a growing interest in…

Shelf stable vegetables is the largest category within processed fruit and vegetables in France, but sales have continued to decline in 2023. This is partly due to price increases on most products as manufacturers have faced up to rising production…

Within the inflation crisis, processed fruit and vegetables has seen volume sales decline slow, largely thanks to the resurgence of home cooking. This trend has been further bolstered by the prohibitive costs of fresh counterparts. The year 2023…

Breakfast cereals faced severe challenges from the economic and regulatory framework in 2022. On the one hand, the supply chain crisis, including the tight global supplies of raw materials due to the war in Ukraine, forced manufacturers and retailers…

Breakfast cereals is showing signs of stagnation with only moderate growth being seen in retail volume terms in 2023, with continuously increasing prices being the main contributor to value growth in current value terms. Both manufacturers and…

Italian consumers are increasingly including breakfast cereals in their diets. The growing interest in breakfast cereals is being underpinned by a number of factors, with the demand for convenient meal options in the context of hectic consumer…

Sales of breakfast cereals have remained relatively steady over the last couple of years of the review period in retail volume terms. Breakfast cereals has, however, seen stronger growth in current value terms in 2023 with prices continuing to rise…

In 2023, Belgian breakfast habits have undergone a notable shift with a pronounced inclination towards home consumption amidst the ongoing strain on disposable incomes. As such, breakfast cereals is seeing a rise in demand, recording positive volume…

The performance of baked goods has been particularly hit by the supply chain crisis, as wheat shortages are putting severe pressure on production costs. The expiration of the Black Sea corridor deal in July 2023 has fuelled further delays in the…

Despite the uncertainties arising from Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and the delicate nature of the grain corridor deal between Russia and Ukraine, the prices of baked goods are increasing at a slower rate in 2023 compared to 2022. In an effort to…

Fresh unpackaged bread still accounts for a dominant proportion of volume sales in the leavened bread category. The main drivers of choice in this area are taste and freshness, which are important in bakery products because fresh products are…

Baked goods in France have shown some resilience over 2022/2023 with bread in particular remaining an essential part of the French diet, seeing growth in both current value and volume terms. Prices have risen due to an increase in both energy costs,…

Following a noticeable increase in unit prices in 2022, 2023 began with a trend towards stabilisation, especially within leavened bread. This stabilisation has directly influenced volume sales, transitioning from a pronounced decline to a modest…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with rising income inequality being among the key ones. Nevertheless, addressing the income inequality through catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Middle Class…

Private label – retailers’ alternatives to brands – tend to benefit from inflation. However, despite record inflation in France, Germany and the UK, the market share of private label in the three countries remained broadly stable across FMCGs in…