Euromonitor Podcasts

Multigenerational lifestyles are becoming more commonplace at home and in the workplace with t hree or more generations interacting on a daily basis  as a result of  the global economy. Many children are remaining in the family home after adulthood, and many parents are also caring for their ageing parents as well. These lifestyles are shifting buying habits and behaviors. For instance, in travel...

The home and garden market in Poland is fragmented and competitive, with earnings spread out among many small and medium sized companies. Many of these companies specialize in only one product group, such as Black White Red in furniture manufacturing.  Furthermore, domestic operators are performing better than international companies in many segments, including garden care and home improvement. Lo...

More food and drink products that include the natural sweetener stevia hit the stores in 2013, including a reformulated version of Sprite in the UK and in France. The new stevia sweetened Sprite lowers the calorie content, but the reformulated version will not yet reach the US, where consumers are not as quick to accept stevia based products due to its slightly bitter aftertaste. Although new drin...

Sales of stain removers in the UK have stagnated, and companies are trying to kick-start the category with innovative new products. For instance, both Procter & Gamble and Reckitt Benckiser have recently introduced monodose stain removers, albeit both products work in different ways. Both companies have released these products in a market that is now in a triple dip recession, so it will be in...

In 2013, five of the world's ten largest economies will be emerging markets, so the importance of these countries and their spending power will shape the world's economic structure in the near future. Challenges for success remain in these emerging markets - retailing outlets are typically smaller, communication technology can be limited, and in many smaller economies, transportation inf...

With desk jobs and hectic lifestyles, many consumers find it hard to eat right and exercise. The demand for healthier, low fat food is pushing the consumer appliance industry to create products that address these weight management problems, such as low fat fryers and refrigeration systems that can keep fresh fruit and vegetables frost-free.  Lots of brands claim to be number one… but can they prov...

The shipbuilding industry in Russia has outdated facilities, limited capacity, and a focus on military ships. The Russian government hopes to change these problems with an investment in a long term commercial shipbuilding program. This program, which will run until 2030, focuses on heavy shipbuilding in already established port towns and promotes research and development. However, the program&apos...

Western Europe is usually ahead of the rest of the world in mobile communication network strength and speed. 4G, or the 'fourth generation' of mobile broadband communications, has been around for several years but Western Europe has yet to widely adopt the technology. Consumers are still using 3G phones even though 4G is available - this is due to the fact that 4G capable phones and the...

Euromonitor expects China to overtake Japan as the world's largest consumer market in 2013. The increase in consumer expenditure is y due to two factors - the rising middle class in China and government policies to boost domestic consumption. An Hodgson, Income and Expenditure Manager at Euromonitor, explains the impact of these two factors. Lots of brands claim to be number one… but can they...

The US Department of Agriculture upgraded Brazilian corn production futures by 1.5 million tonnes in February – resulting in a drop of corn prices in the commodities market. Wheat, which is in constant competition with corn, also dropped in price. This is good news for industries using these commodities. Francisco Redruello, Senior Foods Analyst at Euromonitor International, offers trends and pred...

日本のクレジットカード市場は、家電量販店等の加盟店の拡大、オンラインショッピングの拡大を背景に、近年増加傾向にあります。一方、アジアでは、銀行口座保有率が上昇して、カード決済人口が広がっています。特にインドネシアのクレジットカード市場では、今後5年間で二桁成長が見込まれている有望な市場で、日本企業の進出を後押しています。 日本のクレジットカード市場と海外進出の可能性について、ユーロモニター・インター...

Coca-Cola recently increased its stake in UK smoothie brand Innocent. This move was seen by some journalists as Innocent "selling out"; an attitude reflective of the fear Innocent's reputation as a healthy fruit juice company will be spoiled by Coke. Jonas Feliciano, Beverages Industry Analyst at Euromonitor explains that the acquisition of brands such as Green & Black and Ben &...

Euromonitor identified Turkey as one of the world's next big emerging markets. Part of the "Future Seven," Turkey largely avoided the effects of the global financial crisis due to strong domestic demand and private investments within the country. Currently, Turkey is experiencing strong export demand to the Middle East, especially since the opening of imports into Iraq. Demand for T...

El Congreso chileno recientemente modificó la legislación de tabaco en el país, agregando la prohibición de fumar en todos los espacios públicos cerrados así como la venta de cigarrillos mentolados. Se espera que la prohibición de fumar en espacios cerrados reduzca las “señales sociales”, que son las situaciones sociales donde aumenta la posibilidad de fumar. De acuerdo con la Organización Mundial...

The congress in Chile recently modified tobacco legislation in the country, prohibiting smoking in all enclosed public places and banning all menthol cigarettes. The government anticipates that banning smoking in enclosed areas will cut down on 'social cues' - that is, social situations where smoking is more likely. According to the World Health Organization, 41% of all Chileans smoke, a...

Sportswear sales in the Middle East are benefiting from strong media coverage on body image and obesity, driving consumers to spend on sportswear. However, consumers are not only using sportswear to exercise, but also wearing it casually on a daily basis. There are some challenges in the region for sportswear sales, particularly the hot temperatures in the region and cultural constraints for women...

Returnable packaging presents benefits and disadvantages for consumers, brands and packaging manufacturers. Consumers are the most impartial party - although many consumers are growing more aware of the environmental impact of returning a reusable bottle, many find returning heavy glass bottles to a retailer as a problem. The list of pros and cons for brands is much longer - the cost of using retu...

The global population is getting progressively older, supported by slower birth rates and advancements in nutrition and medicine. Euromonitor predicts that one billion people will be over the age of 60 by 2017. Governments need to bolster health systems to handle the increasing number of elderly in need of care, and should also look to reform pension and welfare systems. Some governments, in order...

Euromonitor recently conducted a quick pulse survey, asking consumers if their hand sanitizing and surface care routine changed following the H1N1 (swine flu) scare. Consumers responded that although their hand washing and sanitizing had become more frequent, surface care habits had not changed. Ian Bell, Head of Home Care research at Euromonitor, states that this is a missed opportunity for home...

Sportswear in Eastern Europe recorded positive growth in 2012, driven by large sporting events such as UFEA EURO 2012 and the Summer Olympics in London. Both events helped boost sales of sportswear in the region and helped major brands that sponsor athletes, such as Adidas. Eastern European consumers are also trying out nontraditional sports for the first time, such as snowboarding and mountain bi...

Euromonitor predicts a slow economic recovery for the second half of 2013, especially if the Eurozone crisis continues to sluggishly diminish. Currently, rising bank deposits and an increase of private per capita flows are lessening the effects of the crisis; however, rampant unemployment and weak competitiveness are still issues for the area. Consumers are starting to spend more on convenience an...

Mars remained the largest pet care company in the world in 2012, edging out Nestlé in the global rankings. Mars has proven strong in emerging markets, where it is quick to introduce a product, convince consumers to buy it, and then diversify. Nestlé remains the stronger presence in North America, however, where it has doubled its share in cat and dog treats since 2007. Globally, the pet care marke...

The US justice department recently blocked Anheuser-Busch Inbev from buying Groupo Modelo. AB-Inbev already controls 40.3% of alcoholic drink company shares in the US, and the justice department is seeking to keep healthy competition in the market by filing an anti-trust lawsuit. AB-Inbev will fight the lawsuit, but if the company wants to seal the purchase it may have to divest some of its US bra...

Innovation is key for i ngredient manufacturers wishing to prosper in the future, states John Madden, Global Head of Ingredients Research at Euromonitor. However, innovation is an increasingly difficult aspiration due to the recession, regulatory obstacles, and media and consumer attention towards certain ingredients in beauty and personal care. The use of natural ingredients, therefore, will cont...

Procter & Gamble has historically lagged behind Unilever in terms of sales in the Southeast Asian market, mainly due to trade bans between Vietnam and the US following the war. Those bans expired in the 1900s, and P&G is creating innovate ways to boost sales in the area. P&G is now pushing its Ambi Pur deodorizer to the Vietnamese motor biking community. Motorcycles are a primary use o...