The positive growth trend experienced by eye care in Germany over the review period was further supported by the pandemic-induced lockdown in 2020, resulting in home seclusion, and therefore greater amounts of time spent in front of computers and televisions. This scenario has led to a greater prevalence of eye dry and eye strain amongst both adults and children due to work and study from home policies. This trend has had a particularly positive impact on demand for the larger category of…

In 2020, digestive remedies did not strongly benefit from the pandemic, due to restrictive movement outside of the home during the initial lockdown, reducing the pace of life including work from home policies, and limited foodservice occasions. Traditionally, demand for digestive remedies is driven by regular travel, and the busy, stressful lifestyles of many Germans, including frequently eating out with the consumption of rich foods leading to indigestion or acid reflux.

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Demand for a number of dermatologicals continued to increase in 2020 due to the growing level of self-medication in Germany. Skin allergies are becoming increasingly common, mainly due to changes in the environment and lifestyles. However, one of the most noteworthy factors specific to 2020 has been the significant use of certain hygiene products which are aggressive on the skin, especially in relation to the pandemic. Overzealous use of disinfectants and extreme hand washing has exacerbated…

The emergence of COVID-19 in Germany has had a fairly positive effect on demand for cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies in 2020 as consumers wanted to feel secure about being able to treat themselves at home when suffering from various cold and flu symptoms during the lockdown, which limited the need to visit a doctor. The initial months of lockdown saw a significant spike in purchases as consumers panicked, resulting in a notable stockpiling trend to hold a substantial ‘’health…

2020 has proven to be a fairly turbulent year for consumer health in Germany following the emergence of the pandemic. After the ‘’hamster’’ (stockpiling purchases) period in March due to various lockdown restrictions by the government in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, it was followed by a slump, with the market subsequently entering a ‘’normalisation’’ phase. During the year, sales have therefore, been fluctuating with notable shifts in various categories.

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After double-digit growth in sales in March 2020, sale of analgesics in Germany suffered a severe contraction in April as the ‘’boom’’ effect of stockpiling products wore off. In the initial stages of the pandemic, local consumers stocked up on various OTC products including analgesics, resulting in a significant rise in sales of many products for a number of weeks. This was also a positive time for bricks-and-mortar pharmacies, as the official lockdown had not yet been announced and…

Open loop pre-paid cards continued to grow in popularity in Romania in 2020, with transactions and usage rising strongly in line with the overall shift away from cash as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Open loop pre-paid employee benefit cards is dominated by meal vouchers, which used to be provided in paper form. These cards are offered by three specialised issuers (Edenred, Sodexo and Groupe Up), as well as two banks (Unicredit and Banca Transilvania). MasterCard is the leading operator…

With cash usage in decline throughout Austria, credit cards continue to gain a growing share of consumer payments. In addition, the massive rise in e-commerce following the COVID-19 outbreak has also helped to support this trend. Although consumer spending was negatively impacted by the pandemic and resulting restrictions, the portion of payments accounted for by credit cards has increased as consumers continue to move away from cash. Online shopping and delivery are already well-developed…

Overall consumer expenditure in Austria has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and consequent widespread decline in demand for services, tourism and foodservice throughout the country. Consumer payments were already shifting away from cash before the pandemic, in line with ongoing technological development and rising demand for convenience. As a result of hygiene-related concerns, along with recommendations from leading health authorities and retailers during the peak of the…

The pet humanisation and premiumisation trends continue to boost growth for Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Following its 2019 global relaunch, Hill’s Pet Nutrition focused on the brand’s purpose. Revived packaging sought to create a stronger human connection and boost sales. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the adoption of online shopping worldwide, which fast tracked an already fast-growing channel. The company launched two initiatives to expand its e-commerce business.

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The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has seen a strong increase in both retail volume and current value sales of processed meat and seafood in Sweden. Home seclusion has encouraged more consumers to cook and eat more frequently at home, with popular full meal ingredients like processed meat and seafood receiving an extra boost. At times of crisis or turbulence, consumers often turn to traditional Swedish meals, and the exigencies of COVID-19 mean they have more time to prepare them.…

Ukraine’s economy has contracted significantly in 2020, with real GDP declining by 6% compared to a 3% rise in 2019. Inflation has increased by 5% and unemployment has jumped from 2019’s 8% rate to 10% in 2020, as a result of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. Purchasing power has dropped and consumers are focused on low-cost solutions, prompting a return to the popularity of bulk size packaging formats and family value packs of products in a range of categories. Price-sensitivity…

COVID-19 has contributed to UAE’s economic decline of 4.5% in 2020, following a rise of 1.7% in 2019. Private final consumption has fallen by 4.2% in real terms, and measures to contain the spread of virus have hampered spending and pushed up unemployment figures. Consumer caution has led to conservative spending and a shift away from single-serve offerings in food and beverages towards multipack solutions. Bulk packs of water have seen plummeting demand in offices and other institutional…

Heineken has a broad geographic reach and a diverse product offering, led by a strong flagship brand. Emerging market expansion is a key strategic focus, but the mature Western Europe region remains significant to the company. Heineken, like all alcoholic drinks players, is having to rapidly adapt to the change in consumption occasions driven by COVID-19. Where do the opportunities lie?

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Many COVID-19 restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the virus in Kenya are expected to have a negative impact on the performance of categories in soft drinks. Foodservice closures implemented in order to prevent crowds of people in Kenya, for example, will restrict demand for carbonates which are popular products in restaurants, bars and cafés.

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Health conscious consumers are expected to boost the demand for juice in 2020 in an effort to boost their immune systems. With the outbreak of COVID-19 in Kenya, consumers have been more focussed on strengthening their immune systems in 2020, and this will support strong growth in juice as consumers will value products that are rich in vitamins, which naturally support the immune system. As such, juice is expected to record strong on-trade and off-trade volume growth in 2020.

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Travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to contribute to restricted sales in 2020. Travel restrictions were imposed in Kenya following the outbreak of COVID-19 in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 between different countries by minimizing the movement of people between countries.

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The ban on social gatherings and the closure of schools are both expected to impact concentrates in 2020. As most consumers of concentrates are children and young people, the closure of schools and the ban on gatherings is expected to restrict sales in 2020. As a result, the off-trade growth rate is expected to be lower than the end of the review period before recovering as COVID-19 restrictions come to an end. Social gatherings with large groups of children, such as family events or…

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Kenya, there have been a number of measures implemented nationally in an effort to curb the spread of the virus in the country. These measures included the closure of foodservice outlets such as bars and restaurants around the country which is expected to restrict on-trade volume growth in 2020, so that on-trade volume growth will be lower than the end of the review period. Carbonates are popular products sold in bars and restaurants, and so foodservice…

The ban on celebrations, gatherings, events and conferences is expected to restrict the growth of sales in bottled water in 2020. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in Kenya, the government banned social gatherings in the country, including weddings, funerals, and conferences in order to curb the spread of the virus in the country. This will restrict demand for bottled water in 2020, as large quantities of bottled water are usually consumed at events such as these, and consumers…