Eastern Europe

The report examines the economic landscape of Slovakia and provides information on major monetary indicators, foreign trade, investments and government finance. The economy in Slovakia expanded in real terms in 2022, driven by increasing private…

The report examines the economic landscape of North Macedonia and provides information on major monetary indicators, foreign trade, investments and government finance. The economy in North Macedonia expanded in real terms in 2022, driven by…

2022 was a challenging year for the vending channel, as inflationary pressures prompted consumers to try to save money, particularly on food items. Unlike grocery channels, vending does not have the option to offer consumers wide-ranging discounts to…

Vending sales benefited from the recovery of consumer mobility in 2022, as pandemic restrictions were lifted in March. This, in combination with rising retail prices, pushed vending into double-digit growth territory in current value terms. However,…

Vending showed another solid performance in current value sales terms in 2022, with all channels registering positive results in this respect. The easing of the pandemic continued to buoy trade, in that the use of vending machines increased as people…

The vending channel fully recovered in value terms in 2022 and surpassed pre-pandemic sales levels. The double-digit rate of inflation in 2022 was a significant factor contributing to the channel’s value growth, while volume growth was more moderate.…

Supermarkets suffered a decline in sales in constant value terms in 2022, as burgeoning inflation and rising energy prices placed pressure on disposable incomes. With wages decreasing in real terms, the leading players placed a greater emphasis on…

Supermarkets had a good year in 2022, with sales driven by growing numbers of outlets as well as an ongoing shift in consumer shopping behaviour. For example, while COOP Jednota has been decreasing its number of convenience stores, it simultaneously…

A substantially improved performance by supermarkets in current value growth terms in 2022 was largely attributable to price increases as inflation in Poland rose dramatically due to the combined impact of the global recovery from the pandemic and…

The supermarkets channel saw continued strong growth in 2022, mainly boosted by the high rate of inflation seen during the year, which impacted prices across most grocery and non-grocery product categories sold via the channel. Consumer demand is…

With consumer spending under pressure during 2022 due to the impact of high inflation on the disposable incomes of the local population, street stalls/kiosks emerged as one the best performing categories in the Czech consumer foodservice industry…

Small local grocers saw a decline in sales in constant value terms in 2022, as the channel struggled to adapt to the inflationary environment. Indeed, many outlets were forced to cease operating, due to rising operating costs, with surging energy…

Sales of small local grocers in 2022 were driven by rising unit prices, as increasing costs had to be reflected in final retail prices. However, small local grocers were unable to compete with large retail chains in terms of offering competitive…

Small local grocers current value sales and outlet numbers have been in decline for several years in Poland due intense competition from modern formats offering much wider assortments and significantly lower prices, particularly supermarkets,…

Traditional grocery retailing continued to be characterised by a high level of fragmentation in 2022. The COVID-19 crisis prevented most of the players in the channel from implementing new strategies and partnering in the market under one logo or as…

While self-service cafeterias registered a positive performance during 2022, growth rates remained under pressure during the year as the enduring popularity of working remotely among the Czech Republic’s white-collar professionals, office workers and…

Store-based retailing suffered a decline in sales in constant value terms in 2022, as burgeoning inflation and a subsequent rise in the cost from living, curbed consumer spending. The country’s nascent recovery from the pandemic was also hindered by…

Retailing in 2022 was driven by rising unit prices as inflation pushed past 10%, causing thriftier consumer behaviour. As Slovak households started delaying larger purchases, retailers’ price competition became more intense, which resulted in price…

While retail in Poland posted an improved result in terms of total current value sales growth in 2022, its performance in this respect was skewed by price increases as inflation rose rapidly due to the combined impact of the global recovery from the…

Retailing value growth was strong in Bulgaria in 2022, mainly driven by the rampant inflation which hit many retailers hard, forcing them to increase the unit prices of most products while personal disposable incomes continued to stagnate. Inflation…