As cost-of-living pressures continue, the choice of where to shop for staple foods has reflected attempts to cut grocery bills. Warehouse clubs and discounters have both seen use grow in offline shopping. But while online shopping’s price-led appeal may have waned, its convenience remains unparalleled for many, and growth continues to be stronger than offline. This report analyses retail channel performance across staple foods, identifying where growth is now and opportunities for the future

Staple foods in North Macedonia performed positively on the whole in 2025. As inflation steadily receded, current value growth fell slightly below that recorded the previous year. Retail volume growth meanwhile was modest, but this was still a considerable improvement on stagnation in 2024. Beyond reduced pricing pressures and a gradual recovery in purchasing power, overall demand was buoyed by the resilience of traditional consumption habits, with many product types having long been widely perc

In 2025, staple foods remained central to home cooking in South Africa, with households prioritising essential items amid tight budgets and rising prices for red meat and vegetables. Rice, pasta, and noodles provided affordable meal solutions, while price sensitivity continued to guide consumer choices over health or sustainability claims, strengthening the appeal of private label offerings. Supermarkets dominated distribution, while e-commerce emerged as the fastest-growing channel, offering co

The world’s largest packaged foods companies are entering a period of heightened focus on their most promising brands and categories. This has involved a willingness to cut SKU counts, sell off iconic brands, or even split apart entirely. Long-term market shifts will continue to push companies in this direction, meaning the future of packaged food is a more fragmented one than it is today.

Value sales of staple foods rose in current terms in Austria in 2025. Strong consumer interest in convenience continued to positively shape value and volume sales during the year as many staple foods products are well aligned with the convenience trend. The consumer demand for quick and easy to prepare or cook products is key in staple foods, with the health and wellness trend also increasingly shaping demand.

Value sales of staple foods in Hong Kong rose slightly in 2025, challenged by ongoing cost-of-living pressures, cautious consumer spending, and continued cross-border grocery shopping. Although increased home cooking helped stabilise baseline demand, overall growth was limited by strong price sensitivity and intensified competition, particularly from private label products. Health and wellness continued to drive product innovation, with brands focusing on cleaner labels, improved nutrition, and

In Brazil, staple foods recorded modest value growth in 2025, mainly reflecting food inflation that continues to run ahead of broader price rises, alongside modest improvements in employment and wages. Households remained highly price sensitive, channelling spend towards core, everyday items and substituting cheaper staples for higher-cost fresh proteins and produce, supporting demand despite a cautious backdrop. Climate volatility and sustainability-linked investment added further upward pressu

Staple foods in Taiwan saw healthy value growth in Taiwan in 2025, at a higher rate of growth compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, volume growth remained stable, with a sub-decimal uptick in growth compared to the previous year. This performance is attributed to economic factors, shifting consumer preferences, and strong company activity. Rising raw materials prices and higher consumer indices have led to increased unit prices across various staple foods categories. However, despite these c

Retail sales of staple foods in Panama grew in both volume and current value terms in 2025,. Price-conscious households increasingly favoured private label offerings and promotions, while busy lifestyles sustained demand for convenient, ready-to-prepare foods. At the same time, health and wellness and indulgence drove innovation, with products balancing nutrition, flavour, and functionality, setting the foundation for continued growth over the forecast period.

Overall, sales of staple foods witnessed a positive performance in 2025, mainly triggered by economic strength and the continued decline in smuggling activity from Argentina, which started in 2024. In fact, all categories envisaged an increase in sales in 2025. Paraguay’s GDP climbed by almost 4% year on year in the period. At the same time, the country’s inflation decelerated for the third consecutive year and posted the lowest record since 2020. Consequently, people’s disposable income increas

Threats to remittances reduce spending while higher income demographics increasingly focus on health and wellness choices

Consumers increasingly seek healthier alternatives

Demand for staple foods in Uganda continues to grow, driven by population expansion, urbanisation, and rising household incomes. However, consumers still prefer affordable options, including unpackaged and small-pack products, while local sourcing is becoming increasingly important. Small local grocers dominate rural sales, whereas supermarkets are gaining share in urban areas. Rice producer Tilda Uganda Ltd is the largest player, although it faces intensified competition from smaller imported a

Retail sales of staple foods in Qatar recorded steady growth in current value terms in 2025, supported by population expansion, easing inflation, and strong purchasing power. Demand was further reinforced by a diverse consumer base, rising health awareness, and growing preference for convenient, packaged foods. Looking ahead, growth is expected to remain stable, shaped by a rising population and sustained government support for food security.

Staple foods in Lebanon started to see recovery in 2025, despite a very challenging year in 2024 for some businesses as high prices of flour, wheat and oil made producing products such as bread very expensive. In addition, in many cases high bread prices were pushed onto the consumer, which in some parts of the country made things financially difficult for lower-income households. However, despite price fluctuations, some growth was apparent in 2025, although stock piling decreased (which impact

Retail sales of staple foods in Oman expanded in current value terms in 2025, supported by population growth, economic stability, rising purchasing power, and a diverse expatriate population. Key market dynamics included strengthening health and wellness awareness, increasingly busy urban lifestyles driving convenience-led purchasing, expanding private label activity, and evolving retail distribution structures that improved product availability. Looking ahead, the market is expected to remain r

Retail sales of staple foods in Sri Lanka grew moderately in current value terms 2025, supported by recovering purchasing power following the 2022-23 crisis. However, consumers sought value through smaller packs, bulk purchases, and lower-cost options, while private label offerings expanded rapidly. Small local grocers remained the primary channel, while supermarkets, hypermarkets and e-commerce gained traction, particularly in urban areas. Moving forward, health-focused trends will accelerate,

Ther performance of staple foods in 2025 is marked by a reliance on traditional, affordable staples like rice and noodles, while high inflation sees products such as processed meat and seafood, and also process fruit and vegetables, being inaccessible to the average consumer.

Staple foods in Thailand saw strong value sales growth in 2025, as rising living costs encouraged households to reduce foodservice spend and return to home cooking. Health and wellness also influenced purchasing, with breakfast cereals - especially muesli and granola - benefiting from wider interest in more nutritious everyday options. Over the forecast period, staple foods is expected to keep expanding as affordability remains central and consumers continue prioritising products that offer low

Fears around the cessation of remittances and high food prices negatively affect consumer spending

Easing of inflation supports volume sales

Affordability continues to dominate consumer concern across staple foods, with producers struggling to grow volume sales. Trends such as increased distrust over ultra-processed foods, population decline and the rise of GLP-1 drugs will also influence future demand. This report works alongside the World Market for Staple Foods briefing to give a full picture of the most important data updates and the most important consumer trends, providing a holistic view of where the industry is headed.

Easing inflation leads to increasing volume sales for staples in 2025, with bread, and in particular baguettes, as well as rice, continuing to be the most popular staples. Sales of processed meat and seafood, as well as processed fruit and vegetables, continue to be hampered by a distrust of ultra-processed foods.

Demand for staple foods in Tanzania is impacted by urbanisation, rising disposable incomes, and growing support for locally-produced products. Consumers remain price-sensitive, balancing between local staples, imported products, and fresh alternatives. Small local grocers dominate distribution, while hypermarkets is the fastest-growing channel, offering modern infrastructure for chilled and frozen goods. Government policies on fortification and food labelling are influencing production practices