Retail in 2024: The big picture
Retail in Hungary saw growth in total current value sales dip in 2024. This was partly explained by the easing of pricing pressures as the prolonged spike in inflation fuelled by the global recovery from the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine steadily receded.
Special retail tax continues to take a toll on large multinational chains
Hungary’s special retail tax continued to erode the profitability of large multinational retailers in 2024. This progressive tax was introduced in 2020 to help the state weather the economic blow of the pandemic.
Sustainability concerns remain influential as new deposit return scheme is launched
Although elevated cost-of-living pressures meant price was the primary consideration in retail purchasing decisions for most Hungarians in 2024, environmental concerns also remained highly influential in shaping consumer behaviour, especially among younger demographics. Operators across the market continued to respond to this trend by working to improve their sustainability credentials.
What next for retail?
Retail in Hungary is expected to post healthy growth in total current value sales throughout the forecast period. Ongoing improvements in confidence and purchasing power among consumers should continue to lift trade in the short-to-medium term as the country’s economy recovers from the cost-of-living crisis.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Retail industry in Hungary with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to the following key categories, where applicable:
- Convenience Stores
- Discounters
- Hypermarkets
- Supermarkets
- Traditional Grocery Retailers
- Apparel and Footwear Specialist Retailers
- Electronics and Appliance Specialist Retailers
- Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers
- Home and Garden Specialist Retailers
- Department Stores
- Variety Stores
- Warehouse Clubs
- Direct Selling
- Homeshopping
- Vending
If you're in the Retail industry in Hungary, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Retail in Hungary report includes:
- Analysis of key retail trends
- Detailed segmentation of offline and online retail sales
- Historic channel sizes (retail value sales, outlet counts, and selling space)
- Company and brand market shares (retail value sales and outlet counts)
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Retail in Hungary?
- Which are the leading retailers in Retail in Hungary?
- How are products distributed in Retail in Hungary?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- How significant are discounters and private label in Hungary?
- To what extent are sales shifting towards digital channels?
- What is the long-term outlook for bricks-and-mortar?
- How is macroeconomic and political uncertainty affecting the retail industry?
- What types of retailers are seeing the fastest growth in digital sales?
- What is the future of retail?
Retail in Hungary
Retail in 2024: The big picture
Special retail tax continues to take a toll on large multinational chains
Sustainability concerns remain influential as new deposit return scheme is launched
What next for retail?
Informal retail
Opening hours for physical retail
Seasonality
Black Friday
Christmas
Back-to-school
DISCLAIMER
Convenience Retailers in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Convenience stores face growing threat from other modern grocery retailers
Orlen acquires several service stations from MOL
Forecourt retailers chains continue to expand their foodservice offerings
Competition from other formats will limit growth potential of convenience stores
Numbers of 24-hour forecourt retailers expected to decline further
More attractive franchise incentives could shake up competitive landscape
Supermarkets in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Value sales and outlet numbers contract as threat from discounters intensifies
Supermarkets chains invest in more technologically advanced store infrastructure
Spar still the dominant player in value terms
Supermarkets set to remain an integral part of Hungary’s grocery retailing landscape
Efforts to resist threat from discounters will centre on pricing and assortment variety
Chains likely to focus more on boosting same-store sales than opening new outlets
Hypermarkets in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Hypermarkets continue to lose ground to discounters
Local company Indotek acquires large stake in Auchan’s Hungarian operations
Leading chains reduce selling space allocated to non-grocery items
Plaza Stop Act limits scope for further growth in outlet numbers
Special retail tax will continue to disproportionately affect hypermarkets
Acquisitions may be the only viable path for potential new entrants
Discounters in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Discounters is the most dynamic performer within grocery retailers
Appearance of Lidl private label products on Avokado platform sparks controversy
Anticipated entry of Russian chain Mere fails to materialise
Discounters will continue to outperform all other grocery retailers channels
Expansion of non-grocery assortments set to remain a key strategy
Consolidation and regulatory barriers likely to deter new entrants
Small Local Grocers in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Outlet numbers continue to decline amidst mounting cost and competitive pressures
All Norbi Update outlets close as franchise owner goes into liquidation
Falling revenues from tobacco sales prompt strategic changes
Outlet numbers set to shrink further but current value growth should remain steady
Diversification efforts likely to focus on foodservice and more niche packaged foods
Competitive landscape expected to remain highly fragmented
General Merchandise Stores in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Variety stores continue to perform strongly
Department stores remains a non-existent channel in Hungary
Ecofamily further consolidates its already dominant position in value terms
Convenience and affordability of variety stores will continue to win over shoppers
Department stores likely to remain absent from the Hungarian retail landscape
Chained operators expected to witness strong growth in online sales
Apparel and Footwear Specialists in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Trade picks up as inflation recedes but outlet numbers continue to fall
Primark opens its first store in Hungary
Growing demand for second-hand products restricts value growth potential
Polarisation likely to become more entrenched
Omnichannel strategies and sustainability initiatives will be key areas for investment
Focus on designer products could offer growth opportunities for independent stores
Appliances and Electronics Specialists in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Enduring budget-consciousness limits uptick in current value sales growth
eMAG closes most of its physical stores to focus on online sales
Threat from e-commerce intensifies with arrival of Temu
Outlet numbers will continue declining as sales migrate to online platforms
BNPL facilities set to become more widely available
More players expected to develop trade-in programmes
Home Products Specialists in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Current value sales remain in negative territory despite improved trading conditions
Pet shops and superstores is the best performing channel
IKEA expands its mobile click and collect service to 15 new locations
Increasing preference for online purchases will temper expansion in value terms
Declining trend in outlet numbers set to persist
Government housing subsidies expected to remain a key demand driver
Health and Beauty Specialists in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Outlet numbers continue to shrink as trading conditions remain challenging
Adoption of premiumisation strategies increasingly visible in beauty specialists
Rossmann’s Isana private label products now sold in Spar outlets
Rising health- and image-consciousness will continue to boost trade
Pharmacies set to remain the largest and most dynamic channel in value terms
Vending sales unlikely to pose significant threat to health and beauty specialists
Vending in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Current value growth slows as inflation stabilises but trade remains buoyant
New deposit return scheme drives up unit prices in soft drinks vending
Franchise model supports swift expansion of Vendobox concept
Vending will continue to benefit from busy lifestyles and innovation in product mixes
Coca-Cola expected to retain overall lead in value sales terms
Hot drinks vending likely to see further improvements in coffee quality standards
Direct Selling in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Direct selling continues to lose ground to e-commerce
Agent-operated stores help Avon to maintain its leading position
Lux rebranded as Richter following sale of local subsidiary
Threat from e-commerce will continue to limit growth potential
Rising levels of distrust among consumers pose a further challenge
Competitive landscape likely to become more consolidated
Retail E-Commerce in Hungary
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Local players face growing threat from Asian giants
Two online marketplaces make their debut in 2024
New delivery regulation imposes additional cost and administrative burden
Outlook remains bright but smaller players will struggle to gain ground
Growing availability of BNPL services will continue to boost e-commerce sales
More grocery retailers expected to partner with third-party delivery specialists
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Retail
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- Convenience Stores
- Forecourt Retailers
- Supermarkets
- Hypermarkets
- Discounters
- Warehouse Clubs
- Food/Drink/Tobacco Specialists
- Small Local Grocers
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- Department Stores
- Variety Stores
- Apparel and Footwear Specialists
- Appliances and Electronics Specialists
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- Home Improvement and Gardening Stores
- Homewares and Home Furnishing Stores
- Pet Shops and Superstores
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- Beauty Specialists
- Pharmacies
- Optical Goods Stores
- Health and Personal Care Stores
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- Bags and Luggage Specialists
- Jewellery and Watch Specialists
- Sports Goods Stores
- Traditional Toys and Games Stores
- Other Non-Grocery Retailers
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- Fashion Vending
- Health and Beauty Vending
- Appliances and Electronics Vending
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- Alcoholic Drinks Vending
- Hot Drinks Vending
- Soft Drinks Vending
- Tobacco Products Vending
- Foods Vending
- Home Products Vending
- Other Products Vending
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- Apparel and Footwear Direct Selling
- Personal Accessories Direct Selling
- Eyewear Direct Selling
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- Beauty and Personal Care Direct Selling
- Consumer Health Direct Selling
- Tissue and Hygiene Direct Selling
- Appliances and Electronics Direct Selling
- Drinks and Tobacco Direct Selling
- Foods Direct Selling
- Home Products Direct Selling
- Other Products Direct Selling
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- Apparel and Footwear E-Commerce
- Personal Accessories E-Commerce
- Eyewear E-Commerce
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- Beauty and Personal Care E-Commerce
- Consumer Health E-Commerce
- Tissue and Hygiene E-Commerce
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- Consumer Appliances E-Commerce
- Consumer Electronics E-Commerce
- Toys and Games E-Commerce
- Drinks and Tobacco E-Commerce
- Foods E-Commerce
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- Home Care E-Commerce
- Home and Garden E-Commerce
- Pet Care E-Commerce
- Other Products E-Commerce
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- First-Party (1P) Marketplace E-Commerce
- Third-Party (3P) Marketplace E-Commerce
- Grocery E-Commerce
- General Merchandiser E-Commerce
- Apparel and Footwear Specialist E-Commerce
- Appliances and Electronics Specialist E-Commerce
- Home Products Specialist E-Commerce
- Health and Beauty Specialist E-Commerce
- Leisure and Personal Goods Specialist E-Commerce
- Other E-Commerce Retailers
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Retail
Retail is the sale of new and used goods to consumers from a business for personal or household consumption from retail outlets, kiosks, market stalls, vending, direct selling and e-commerce. Retail is the aggregation of Retail Offline and Retail E-Commerce. Excludes specialist retailers of motor vehicles, motorcycles, vehicle parts. Also excludes fuel sales, foodservice sales, rental transactions, and wholesale sales (e.g. Cash and Carry). Sales value excluding or including VAT/Sales Tax. Retail also excludes the informal retail sector. Informal retailing is retail trade which is not declared to the tax authorities. Informal retailing encompasses (a) sales generated by unregistered and unlicensed retailers, i.e. retailers operating illegally, and (b) any proportion of sales generated by a registered and licensed retailer that is not declared to the tax authorities. Unregistered and unlicensed retailers operate predominantly (although not exclusively) as street hawkers or operate open market stalls, as these channels are harder for the authorities to monitor than permanent outlets. Activities in the illegal market, which is usually understood to refer to trade in illegal, counterfeit or stolen merchandise, are included within our definition of informal retailing. Activities in the “grey market”, which is usually understood to refer to trade in legal merchandise that is sold through unauthorized channels – for example cigarettes bought legally in another country, legally imported, but sold at lower prices than in authorized channels – will be included as informal retailing if no tax is paid on sale by the retailer. However if the retailer pays tax – for example on cigarettes bought legally in another country but sold at a lower price than standard – the sale is included within formal retail.
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Retail research and analysis database.
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