Sales of foodstuffs down 3% in Hungary

2010-03-09

In volume terms, sales of foodstuffs declined by 3% in the twelve-month period from February 2009 to January 2010. In value terms, sales remained stable at HUF 1,300bn (€4.9bn), according to the latest data from Nielsen Hungary.
Sales of energy drinks soared 17% in value terms year on year, and these were followed in growth rate by canned spices and vegetables, sales of each increased by 8%. Sales of margarine and chocolate also increased – by 5% each.
In terms of volume, sales of foodstuffs declined, however, sales figures for certain categories increased dramatically. Sales of energy and sport drinks rose by 26%, while sales of cheese increased by 18%. Sales of mineral water and sour cream increased by 5% and 6%, respectively, while sales of cooking oil and curd cheese rose by 9% and 7%, respectively.
With regard to retail channels, the market share accounted for by supermarkets and discount stores (400-2,500 m² category) increased from 32% to 33% in 2009. This came at the expense of small-format and traditional stores, which accounted for 18% – down from 19% in 2008. The share accounted for by hypermarkets remained at 31%, while the share accounted for by stores in the 200-400 m² category was 9%.