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Designer apparel (ready-to-wear) is the largest category in the Japanese luxury goods market, accounting for more than 40% of value sales in 2012. However, designer apparel (ready-to-wear) is already mature and experienced negative growth of 1% in current value terms in 2012. After the 11 March natural disaster, consumers have become more conservative when it comes to their spending. However, in the second half of 2012, they became more active by shopping in department stores buying luxury...

The hot drinks market in Uzbekistan is represented by two categories - tea, being the most traditional beverage, and coffee, being a comparatively new category. Depending on the category and its peculiarities, sales are being influenced by population growth, urbanisation, higher standards of living and rising GDP. Meanwhile, traditional events and ceremonies are also contributing to sales, generating rising demand. Thanks to stable trends, the local hot drinks market has achieved a mature level...

As consumer purchasing power declined further, competition remained very fierce in breakfast cereals in 2012. Local companies tried to compete with international players with lower prices, although multinationals offered better quality products and more innovations. Industry experts agree that breakfast cereals is not yet saturated in Ukraine, and 40-50% of the category's potential remains untapped.

The static volume growth recorded in ready meals in 2012 was an improvement on the -1% volume CAGR recorded over the entire review period, while the 48% volume growth recorded in 2012 was much higher than current value CAGR of 4% recorded over the entire review period. Ready is a category which is only just beginning to recover following two years of strong volume decline caused by economic recession and the ongoing decline in the disposable income levels of Bosnian consumers.

In spite of the strict control over the real estate market by the relevant authorities, strong demand for properties, mainly from newly-weds, and ongoing urbanisation underpinned vigorous growth in the furniture and homewares market in 2012. In addition to demand from new households, the upgrade requirements of existing households also fuelled the growth of this category, in line with consumers' growing pursuit of a better living environment, aided by rising household incomes.

During the review period the total volume of coffee consumption increased by very healthy overall rates estimated at 4% CAGR including both on-trade and off-trade divisions. Such a growth, which has been sustained, confirms that there is still a considerable growth potential for coffee in Mexico, considering that per capita consumption of 0.7 compares quite unfavourably with other countries of similar development such as Costa Rica or Brazil that have three or four times as much as this per...

Laundry care remained a very key area within home care during 2012 as a result of widespread consumption of basic offerings, especially automatic detergents and hand wash detergents. These two areas accounted for more than 83% of retail value sales during the year - a fact which highlights the small base of other types of laundry detergents. The rapid increase in the penetration of washing machines has played a key role in growth within automatic laundry detergents. It is estimated that almost...

During 2012, the entrance of new international competitors looking to expand their sales potential in Central America helped to release the pressure created by significant price rises in the majority of retail tissue categories, which were the result of increasing manufacturing costs. The development of new technologies which allow retail tissue manufacturers to increase the amount of quilting in their products, especially in the case of toilet paper, has now been established as the main...

According to industry sources, increasing purchasing power among low and middle income consumers has positively favoured sales of value-added packaged foods products, including breakfast cereals, in recent years. This new target group has shifted from buying purely staple products and is spending more on sophisticated items in order to meet consumption aspirations.

Over the review period, Western food has become increasingly popular and, following this trend, chilled processed food has also gained great acceptance from consumers in Vietnam. In urban areas and big cities, there are sausages, smoked meat and salami in most convenient stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets. This food category targets middle to high consumers who value the hygiene standard and convenience that chilled processed food offers.

In the Dominican Republic the use of sauces and condiments for cooking is common in all households by tradition. Tomato-based sauces and condiments flavoured with garlic, cilantro, oregano, pepper and other herbs are used daily to prepare typical Dominican food. The use of tomato sauce increases, as it is a way to give colour and flavour to meals. In all distribution channels consumers can find inexpensive varieties of these products, making it possible for lower-income consumers to buy what...

Value growth was slower in most tissue and hygiene categories during 2012 as a result of the slow economic recovery in Costa Rica, with inflation lower and exchange rates weaker than in previous years. As a result, most manufacturers focused on maintaining their current competitive positions, making only subtle changes to their pricing levels as they continue looking forward to a recovery in demand levels and the end of the ongoing economic downturn.

Nappies/diapers/pants volume sales increased at a moderate rate of 1% in 2012. Positive volume sales growth is still considered a quite good result because the area has reached quite a high level of maturity. The slightly increasing birth rate supported sales of nappies/diapers/pants in Estonia in 2012. In addition, consumers have also started to use more disposable products due to convenience and the increasingly fast pace of modern life.

On average, nappies are used for babies until they are 4-years-old, which means that the 0-3-year-old population determines the demand for nappies in Iran. According to the latest national census, the 0-3-year-old population reached six million by the beginning of 2012, one of the highest in the Middle East. The culture of using modern nappies is a new concept as previous generation of parents, in the majority of households, used a simple cloth for this purpose. Mothers had to wash and dry the...

The gradual improvement of the economic situation in Latvia has led to the popularisation of single-purpose surface care solutions, demand for which was reduced previously during the economic crisis, when consumers were forced to cut their spending. This led to an increased demand for multi-purpose and general purpose surface care products as they allowed economising. With the increase of optimism about the economic situation in Latvia, in 2012 the demand for specific single-purpose solutions...

The report presents detailed data on consumption trends in the Sanitary Pads category in Greece, analyzing consumption volumes and values. It also provides indispensable data on distribution channels and mergers and acquisitions in the sector.

GlobalData's new report, "Alcon, Inc. Market Share Analysis" provides in-depth information on Alcon, Inc.'s market position in the different medical equipment markets it operates in. The report provides Alcon, Inc. market share information in six key market categories - Cataract Surgery Devices, Glaucoma Surgery Devices, Intraocular Lens (IOL), Refractive Surgery Devices, Vision Care and Vitreo Retinal Surgery Devices. The report also provides data and information on the overall competitive landscape of the markets, the company operates in. The report is supplemented with global corporate-level profile with information on the company's business segments, major products and services, competitors, locations and subsidiaries, financial deals and other key developments.

Oman continues to develop itself into a regional powerhouse for the shipping and transhipment of dry bulk goods such as iron ore. To this end a new port is being constructed at Duqm and new cargo terminals at Salalah and Sohar. The new Duqm port will also boast a new oil refinery. Further port developments include the announcement that all cargo operations are to be moved from the Muscat port of Sultan Qaboos to Sohar by 2013. All of this is aided by Oman's position on the Arabian Sea, outside the Persian Gulf, enabling it to offer shorter shipping lines than ports within the congested body of water. On the macroeconomic side growth in the Omani ports sector will be supported by an expanding GDP and rising private consumption.

Plans to develop Iran's nuclear capacity are central to the country's power industry and its ability to meet its energy requirements. While the country continues to face huge international opposition, it has made plans for additional research reactors, even as its first reactor faces teething problems as operators attempted to connect it to the main grid in March 2013. Although sanctions pose problems for many developed nations wanting to invest in Iran, the country still stands to benefit from investment from its neighbours, such as India, and greater development of its renewables generation capacity .The country also stands to gain from the power and gas import requirements of India and Pakistan.

The report presents detailed data on consumption trends in the Savoury Spreads category in United Kingdom, analyzing consumption volumes and values at segment level. It also provides indispensable data on distribution channels, profiles of companies active in the Syrups and Spreads sector, latest industry news and mergers and acquisitions in the sector.

Ukraine's dependence on Russia for gas is a problem, as it exposes the country to import volatility and ongoing price disputes, which have been exacerbated by the government's power price subsidies. Domestic sources cannot fuel all gas-fired generation, so Ukraine wishes to boost its nuclear and renewables capacity. Investment is unlikely to reach the required level, while sales prices for power are low, although the IMF is forcing through tariff increases.

MediPoint: Predictive Breast Cancer Gene Testing - South America Analysis and Market Forecasts

The report presents detailed data on consumption trends in the Chilled Noodles category in United Kingdom, analyzing consumption volumes and values. It also provides indispensable data on distribution channels, profiles of companies active in the Pasta and Noodles sector, latest industry news and mergers and acquisitions in the sector.

MediPoint: Total Ankle Replacement - South America Analysis and Market Forecasts

The report presents detailed data on consumption trends in the Nail Make-up category in Belgium, analyzing consumption volumes and values. It also provides indispensable data on distribution channels andlatest industry news.