Uruguay

The global urban consumer landscape is increasingly complex and difficult to navigate. Which cities should you choose for your consumer business expansion? To answer this and other questions, we are introducing the Euromonitor International Cities…

While Latin America’s digital landscape is less well developed than other regions globally, most measures continue to improve, with Coronavirus (COVID-19) also having served to drive the digital landscape development in 2020. With locked-down…

Ageing, urbanisation and migration continue to be major factors shaping the global population. The number of seniors around the world kept expanding in 2021 and is expected to grow further in the years to 2040. The number of small children is…

Beauty and personal care brands, including players such as Avon, continued to represent the largest part of the direct selling business. In 2022, these players were able to leverage their longstanding relationship with consumers, using their solid…

The reduction in spending power in Argentina and the rise of prices in Uruguay have impacted the results of some of the key players in grocery retailers. The exchange between Uruguay and Argentina has traditionally been strong, with a long-standing…

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, restrictions on travel and socialising heavily impacted certain non-grocery retailers, as consumers were confided to the household. With the risk of COVID-19 reducing, the government has lifted restrictions on…

The make-up of e-commerce in Uruguay and the current retail environment has resulted in third party merchants holding considerable value share in the channel. Beyond those third party merchants, grocery retailers have a strong share. Henderson &…

Inflation and ongoing price increases significantly impacted the retail industry in 2022. High price rises led to changing consumer behaviours, with a drop in demand as many were looking to delay significant purchases, reducing and adapting their…

This report assesses the business environment in Uruguay, focusing on the regulatory environment, stability of the financial system, FDI intake, labour market flexibility and skillset, trade openness, mobility infrastructure, ICT adoption and…

Several factors contributed to a significant drop in volume sales of cigarettes in 2022. Smoking prevalence is gradually declining as authorities’ efforts to stem smoking are bearing fruit. In addition, in 2022, inflation was high, caused by global…

Fine cut tobacco continued to account for considerable value sales in 2022, and unlike cigarettes, registered a healthy volume increase. Part of the reason for the growth was with inflation on the rise, consumers opted to roll their own cigarettes…

Uruguay struggled with high inflation in 2022. Consequently, people’s purchasing power fell. Also, the exchange rate of the UYU against the American dollar appreciated by about 10% in 2022. The combination of high inflation and currency appreciation…

Macroeconomic indicators played a huge role in the evolution of the alcoholic drinks market in Uruguay in 2022. As in most countries, inflation was a major issue during the period. Inflation ended at around 9% in 2022, the third highest recorded in…

Almost all beers performed well in 2022, both in the off-trade and on-trade channels, and amongst beers, imported brands performed better than the average. Stella Artois and Nova Schin were amongst the most successful of the imported brands in 2022.

Cider has been losing share amongst Uruguay alcoholic drinks options for the last 15 years. Although it witnessed an unexpected strong bounce in 2020 (related to voluntary home seclusion during the pandemic) and further marginal growth in 2021, the…

RTDs was one of the biggest winners in the Uruguayan alcoholic drinks market in 2022. Of the different RTDs segments, spirit-based drinks put in the best performance over the review period as a whole. Growth has been in line with the trend towards…

The overall volume sales of spirits climbed in 2022. Although the volume sales through off-trade channels of almost all categories fell during the year, the total market volume ended on the positive side. Total volume sales were boosted by the growth…

Currently, the main threat to the wine industry of Uruguay is imports of Argentinean wines. Local consumers have easy access to these wines, which are very good quality and very cheap in comparison with Uruguayan wines. Although imported wines pay…

In 2022, chocolate confectionery sales surpassed their pre-pandemic levels again in volume and real value terms and were expected to continue seeing positive growth in 2023. While impulse channels such as kiosks, which are included under small local…

After seeing a major decline in 2020, when the pandemic first arrived in Uruguay, followed by a further fall in sales in 2021, gum registered a rebound in volume and value terms in 2022, with positive growth also expected for 2023, although sales…

Ice cream continued to register positive volume growth in 2022, with another sales increase expected to be seen in 2023. With a number of heatwaves and a hotter summer than usual, the demand for ice cream increased considerably in the summer months…

Savoury snacks was recording positive growth in volume and value terms in 2022, with a similar trend expected in 2023. All the categories in savoury snacks were registering increasing sales in 2022, with this also expected to be the case in 2023.…

In 2022, GDP in Uruguay increased by 4.9%, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and was continuing to grow in 2023, helping to drive demand for snacks. Tourism, mainly international tourist visitors from Argentina and Brazil, was badly affected during the…

Sugar confectionery continued to see a strong rebound in 2022 in volume terms, with further positive growth expected in 2023, when sales are expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels. Although a mandatory quarantine was not enforced during the…

In 2022, sweet biscuits recorded positive volume growth after two years of registering declining sales, with positive growth also expected in 2023. The good performances in 2022 and 2023 are, in part, explained by a better supply after the production…

The Montevideo in Uruguay report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital penetration,…

The Salto in Uruguay report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital penetration,…

Insight into income, wealth and expenditure of consumers and households is vital in helping businesses make strategic decisions with regards to which country (or even which region within a country) to enter, which consumer segment to target, which…

Negative net migration, accompanied by low or negative rates of natural change, will drive depopulation in Uruguay in 2021-2040. As birth rates fall and people live longer, ageing will hasten, impacting consumer trends and putting additional pressure…

Milk formula registered positive retail volume growth for the third consecutive year in 2023. Price increases are creating some changes to demand, with budget-conscious parents shifting to cheaper alternatives, such as cow´s milk. Since the COVID-19…

Butter and spreads registered a modest increase in retail volume terms in 2022 and a similar performance is expected in 2023. As a mature category, there is little room for growth in butter and spreads. However, the category experienced high demand…

Per capita cheese consumption in Uruguay is among the highest in Latin America and the world, due to its long tradition of cheese production. After a soft contraction in 2022, retail volume sales is expected to achieve positive growth in 2023.…

In 2023, dairy products and alternatives registered modest growth in volume terms, following a contraction in 2022. The poor performance in both years can be partly explained by a conflict between the leading company Cooperativa Nacional de…

After a decline in supply in 2022, improved milk production is pushing retail volume sales back into growth in 2023. Conflict between the leader supplier Cooperativa Nacional de Productores de Leche (Conaprole) and trade unions reduced the supply of…

Chilled and shelf stable dairy desserts registered a decrease in retail volume terms in 2022, but a modest rebound is expected in 2023. During the second half of 2022, the second leading player Cooperativa Nacional de Productores de Leche (Conaprole)…

Plant-based dairy is still underdeveloped in Uruguay with brand and products focused mainly in plant-based milk. However, consumers are becoming more aware about healthier and sustainable options, with new local producers emerging as well as…

Retail volume sales of yoghurt and sour milk products is expected to recover in 2023, following production problems in the previous year. Conflicts between the leading companies and trade unions resulted in general strikes and a reduced supply of raw…

Though current value sales are expected to rise, constant value sales are expected to fall, as continuing rising operating costs cut into profitability. In 2023, with concerns about COVID-19 abating, demand for analgesics reduces to more normal…

The picture is fairly positive in 2023, with constant value sales expected to rise slightly and inflationary pressure easing. However, rising prices are still an issue and the overall economy is expected to register a slowdown in growth.

With value sales of cough and cold and allergy ( hay fever) remedies reducing to more normal levels. as concern about COVID-19 abate, there is expected to be a decline in volume sales in 2023. The exception being medicated confectionery. Along with…

Dermatologicals is expected to register moderate constant value and volume growth in 2023. Dermatologicals continues to recover from the removal of pandemic restrictions. With patients again visiting doctors for the last two years, this is a…

For the second consecutive year, dietary supplements is expected to register a significant fall in volume sales. Two main factors are causing this negative performance. With concerns about COVID-19 abating, consumers are less concerned about boosting…

Digestive remedies is expected to register moderate constant value and volume growth in 2023. With society fully opened up and people leading hectic lives, with less time to prepare healthy meals, this is leading to increased digestive issues. Also,…

Herbal/traditional products are expected to register a slight fall in constant value sales, as continuing rising prices hits profitability. That being said, demand is steady, and there is an increasing range of herbal/traditional products available…

Value sales for paediatric consumer health continues to be low in Uruguay and in 2023 it is expected to register a slight decrease in constant value sales, as continuing rising prices cuts into profitability. Analgesics continues to account for most…

Sports nutrition continues to be benefit from the full opening of society post pandemic lockdowns, with people being more active and attending gyms once again. As such sports nutrition is expected to register healthy constant value and volume growth…

Vitamins are expected to register a further significant decline in volume sales in 2023. The boon from the pandemic is long over and vitamins that claim immune boosting benefits are seeing a significant decline. Vitamin C in particular is expected to…

Growth in values sales in weight management and wellbeing is expected to be slightly above inflation. Its positive performance is attributable to wider distribution beyond pharmacies, with increasing distribution through modern grocery retailers.…

Wound care is expected to register moderate constant value and some volume growth in 2023. Wound care continues to recover from the removal of pandemic restrictions. With people out and about once again, and participating in physical actives, there…

The commodities country overview provides comprehensive data on production, consumption and price trends on key commodities markets. The commodities overview in Uruguay covers production and consumption trends in agricultural commodities, energy…