Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sales growths for the second quarter of 2013, aggregated across Europe, were up +1.2% year-on-year, compared to +3.3% year-on-year the previous quarter (Q1 2013), according to the latest figures released today by global information and insights company Nielsen.
The 1.2% nominal value rise in aggregate sales was driven by 2.7% price inflation, masking a 1.5% drop in sales volumes.
Turkish growth
Turkey experienced the highest nominal year-on-year sales growth (+11.6%) in Q2 among the 21 European countries measured, followed by Finland (+4.2%) and Norway (+2.2%). The UK (+1.2%) had the highest growth of the big five western European markets.
Nine of the 21 countries experienced a year-on-year decline in nominal value growth; Greece (-4.4%) and the Czech Republic (-3.3%) had the largest decrease.
Price increases, volumes drop
The nominal increase in FMCG sales value across Europe is being driven by price inflation rather than volume increases. European FMCG price inflation at 2.7% year-on-year in Q2 2013, was down from 3.1% in Q1 2013. Seven of the 21 countries experienced price inflation above 3.0% in Q2; only Greece, Norway and Poland experienced a year-on-year decline.
The volume of European FMCG sales in Q2 2013 decreased -1.5% year-on-year, compared to a 0.2% increase year-on-year during the previous quarter. Of the 21 European countries measured, only Turkey, Norway and Switzerland experienced an increase in volume sales.
Explaining the figures, Nielsen’s European director of retail insights, Jean-Jacques Vandenheede: “With Easter falling in the first quarter this year, European FMCG sales in the second quarter missed out on a 1-1.5% boost in volume growths. Consequently, year-on-year nominal growths weren’t as encouraging in the second quarter, remaining in somewhat of a holding pattern. It will be interesting to see how the third quarter performs, when we have a more genuine comparison of year-on-year growths.”
