Euromonitor Podcasts

Earlier this week, Burger King announced its re-entry into the French market, producing considerable excitement among French burger fans—17 years after pulling out of France, Burger King has acquired a certain mystique, combining flame-grilled indulgence with American authenticity. In this new podcast, Head of Foodservice Michael Schaefer notes this perception is not unique to France, with the Who...

Internet usage across the globe continues to expand at an extremely fast rate; 96.7% over the 2006-2011 period. But what is driving this growth? Technological development is first and foremost - the faster technology grows in a country, the more people access the internet. The growing youth population is another important driver, as the most technologically savvy, and their demands shape internet...

The artificial sweetener Stevia launched many significant products in 2012, including Tropicana's Trop50 in the US and a re-launched version of Sprite in France and Ireland. Stevia's position as a naturally sourced sweetener means it can continue to target the growing better-for-you and naturally healthy soft drinks market, where the ingredient is forecasted to grow 30% from 2011-2016. A...

Tissue and hygiene sales in developing markets were especially strong in 2012, with this positive performance directly associated with the changing role of women in these economies. With more women in the workplace, hygiene products catering to on the go female consumers are receiving a sales boost. Nappies and diapers are receiving the largest boost - with more women on the go, diapers are a conv...

Exports are essential to the Canadian economy, with Canada relying on exports more than any other country in North America. In this podcast, Euromonitor examines some of the larger exports of Canada, including cars and crude oil, and suggests alternate export destinations to keep the country competitive in the global marketplace. Lots of brands claim to be number one… but can they prove it? At Eur...

Brasile, India, Cina e Russia contribuiscono in modo crescente al mercato del turismo in Europa e in Italia.  I turisti provenienti dai BRIC decidono di passare le loro vacanze nel Vecchio Continente per visitare città d’arte e dedicarsi allo shopping, con una particolare attenzione per I beni di lusso. Anche l’Italia ha beneficiato di questo trend, con una crescita del 39% degli arrivi dal Brasil...

According to a recent Euromonitor survey, most consumers in emerging and developed markets see automatic dishwashing as less favorable than hand washing in terms of price and environmental impact. The automatic dishwashing market is at a lull in developed markets, and these survey results highlight financially conservative consumers are most likely hand washing on a regular basis, and consumers in...

U Jędrusia, a Polish manufacturer of frozen and chilled ready meals, recently announced its plans to expand to the Baltic States by way of Lithuania. The frozen ready meal market is quite mature in Lithuania, but U Jędrusia plans to compete in the chilled ready meals space instead, which is underdeveloped in the Baltic States. The manufacturer has also announced plans to partner with the leading r...

Group buying and daily deal sites, such as Groupon and LivingSocial are under scrutiny. In theory they sound like a win-win situation with retailers guaranteed some level of new customers, and consumers finding a cheaper deal. However, evidence suggests group buying does not create brand loyalty and in fact many group buyers never return to a business after they've used a voucher. Furthermore...

The US is the only country that allows advertising of both over the counter (OTC) and prescription medication. However, OTC medication is not required to issue a balance of risks and benefits when being advertised. Research has shown that OTC advertising rarely has a balance, and often includes more benefits than risks. Stephanie Prymas, Consumer Health Research Analyst at Euromonitor, discusses w...

Google is choosing to release its new smartphone, the Nexus 4, exclusively in developed countries such as the US, UK, and Australia. The phone will be sold at cost, meaning revenue will come only through content sales such as music and video services. Content providers, however, have been reluctant to release digital content in developed countries due to piracy fears. Therefore, Nexus 4 sales are...

McDonald's monthly sales have fallen for the first time in almost a decade, and Michael Schaefer, Head of Consumer Food Service Research at Euromonitor, proposes that that it's no fault of McDonald's. Competitors such as Burger King and Taco Bell have taken strides to regain sales following the economic downturn, and many of these strategies are copies of pioneering tactics by McDon...

Although global meat consumption grew by 2% in 2011, growth was divided.  Emerging regions such as Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific showed growth, while North America registered a decline in meat consumption. This decline was driven by health concerns and a growing awareness of environmental implications.  Despite the decline in North America, global consumption is expec...

While locally-relevant menu items have long been a vital component of McDonald’s global menu strategy, the chain’s European operations have taken this strategy a step further, combining effective localization with a focus on indulgent, affordable snacks, often featuring a spicy kick. In this new podcast, Head of Consumer Foodservice Michael Schaefer discusses the impact of these initiatives as wel...

Corn prices in North America continued to rise in October. Pressure remains for the region to lower prices to compete with Eastern Europe and South America. Sugar futures are down in October, due to predecitions that Brazilian and Indonesian sugar production will continue to grow. Cocoa, soy beans, skim milk and grains are also covered in this podcast. Lots of brands claim to be number one… but ca...

Due to the effects of the recession and the Eurozone crisis, more consumers are spending time at home rather than going out. Furniture and home furnishings are reaping the benefits of this trend, with indoor furniture sales perfuming particularly well. The Middle East and African home and garden market is taking advantage of the region's booming real estate market and high GDP growth, driving...

日本では、東北震災の影響で、電力供給が不安定になりましたが、日本の冷凍食品売上は２０１１年穏やかに上昇しました。 一方でアジア太平洋地域では、目覚ましい成長率が観測され、アジア全体での冷凍食品市場は年々増加傾向にあります。 アジア太平洋地域の冷凍食品市場の現状と今後の展望、そして日本企業のシェア拡大について、ユーロモニター・インターナショナルのリサーチアナリスト廣田初美が解説します。 Lots of brands...

Due to the lingering effects of the recession, two key demographics have emerged in the fast food playing field. First, those who want a better, premium experience, and second, those who are sensitive to price but still looking to indulge. Fast food operators looking to succeed in current economic conditions will fulfill both of these demographics. McDonald's is an example of a player who cre...

There is speculation the largest online retailer, Amazon, is eyeing an acquisition of online apparel retailer Asos. By acquiring both Zappos and Shopbop.com, Amazon has capitalized on the growing trend of online apparel retailing. However, neither of those companies have the global reach that Asos does. Asos appeals to style-savvy 20-somethings, and has become a destination for fashion-forward ind...

Contactless payment cards use near field communication instead of traditional swiping methods. Contactless payments in Finland are in their infancy but gradually are being accepted by the public.  The Lounaskortti voucher, a benefit for employees used to buy meals, will re-launch at the end of 2012 in a contactless card format and banks such as OP-Pohjola Group are shipping new debit cards with co...

With automobile sales up and down in recent years, manufacturers of car air fresheners began developing new innovations seeking out growth. Most recently, innovation centered on licensing with brands such as Hello Kitty, Jelly Belly and Wallace and Grommet licensing their brands for automotive air fresheners. Convincing consumers to spend a little more on air fresheners could jumpstart the market...

Superfruit juices - juices that contain fruits such as acai or pomegranate - have been slower to take off in Latin America, according to Sergio Hidalgo, research analyst at Euromonitor. This is a surprise given production costs are low and restrictions on claims are minimal. Most superfruit juices are exported to countries with higher consumer spending power, such as the United States, and many La...

Jugos de súper frutas – que contienen frutas como el acaí o la granada – aún no despegan en Latinoamérica, según Sergio Hidalgo, analista de investigación en Euromonitor. Esto sorprende dados los bajos costos de producción y las bajas restricciones en cuanto a claims en la región.  La mayoría de los jugos de súper fruits son exportados a países con un mayor poder adquisitivo, como EEUU, y los cons...

A country’s corruption level directly affects potential investments by businesses, states Carrie Lenard, Government, Labour, and Education Manager at Euromonitor. The Eurozone crisis has increased corruption perception in some of the member countries, most notably Greece and Italy. Both countries have high public debt, which has exposed a prevalence of tax evasion. Since this perceived corruption...

Euromonitor recently conducted a quick pulse survey regarding embarrassment associated with buying certain products in stores. Incontinence products took the top spot, says Ian Bell, Global H ead of T issue and Hygiene R esearch at Euromonitor. Manufacturers are looking to soften the embarrassment factor for these types of products in several different ways. For example, Kimberly Clark recently pr...