The human-pet bond has been evolving over the years. From simply being viewed as guard animals to now being considered as family members, companion pets have come a long way in their relationship with humans. The pandemic further improved this bond. While pets helped in combating loneliness and isolation, pet owners started paying more attention to the health, wellness and wellbeing of their furry, feathery or even scaly companions.
In Western Europe, high inflation is having a negative impact on sales of toys and games, with a similar situation prevailing in Asia Pacific, notably Japan, as rising prices in many areas of the economy are putting pressure on consumers’ disposable incomes. Despite this negative influence, Western Europe saw sales growth increase in 2022. In contrast, sales declined in Asia Pacific, due to losses in the region's highest value markets, China and Japan.
The home care industry in Latin America is currently navigating a complex landscape characterised by inflationary pressures, which have adversely affected sales across various categories, both in terms of volume and value. Given this situation, what strategies should be employed to navigate this landscape, and what key insights can be gleaned from this context?
Sustained high inflation has hit sales of home and garden products across most of Western Europe, as well as in many countries in the Asia Pacific region. With consumer confidence shaken by rising prices, exerting downward pressure on people’s purchasing power, shoppers are postponing purchases of big-ticket items like furniture, as they prioritise spending on daily essentials.
Abnormal cost inflation has caused waves of pain for companies since late 2020, but our new Inflation Projection Tool launched in July 2023 strongly indicates that tools and hardware in home and garden stands out as a category where companies were harmed more than most (and brands more than retailers, so far). This sector is badly dislocated around its ability to pass on costs from production to end consumers.
The increase in hybrid work with more time spent at home made consumers value their personal space and perceive a greater need to refresh it by using efficient and value-added methods. This has made the paint sector more attractive, making expansion opportunities particularly more attractive geographically, and across channels, with increases in spending on both branded and private label innovation evident.