Yihan Ma
Research expert covering e-commerce and FMCG in Greater China
FMCG in Taiwan - statistics & facts
Despite the pandemic, Taiwan's FMCG market showed a strong performance in 2021.. A combination of effective pandemic control and market stimulus programs led Taiwan to become one of the fastest-growing FMCG retail markets in the Asia Pacific region that year. The global inflation wave, however, also affected Taiwan. In 2022, Taiwan was estimated to have its highest inflation rate since the Great Recession in 2008, at over three percent. Inflation among food products reached nearly 5.7 percent, the highest rate among all sectors.
On the other hand, traditional retail channels such as convenience stores and supermarkets were still popular among Taiwanese FMCG consumers, especially for food and snacks. Around 26 percent of Taiwan's packaged food sales were sold via supermarkets. The local supermarket chain PX-Mart controlled more than 64 percent of Taiwan's supermarket industry and ranked first among all FMCG retailers in Taiwan in terms of consumer recognition.
Another trend sweeping Taiwan's FMCG retail industry is quick commerce. According to a 2022 survey, more than half of Taiwanese consumers said they had used q- commerce platforms for fresh produce and groceries in the past year. Promos were named as a major motivator for using q-commerce in the same survey, and it frees up time for them to go shopping.
Omnichannel FMCG retailing
Though supermarkets and hypermarkets still accounted for nearly half of Taiwanese FMCG sales by the end of 2022, the proliferation of online shopping altered people's grocery shopping habits. As of 2021, about three out of four consumers in Taiwan were actively shopping online, with food and groceries listed as the most popular product categories. Furthermore, the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic at the beginning of 2020 further spurred the online retailing of FMCG in Taiwan. According to a survey in June 2022, more than 60 percent of consumers purchased food and groceries online recently, followed by personal hygiene products and household cleaning products.On the other hand, traditional retail channels such as convenience stores and supermarkets were still popular among Taiwanese FMCG consumers, especially for food and snacks. Around 26 percent of Taiwan's packaged food sales were sold via supermarkets. The local supermarket chain PX-Mart controlled more than 64 percent of Taiwan's supermarket industry and ranked first among all FMCG retailers in Taiwan in terms of consumer recognition.
Latest trends in FMCG
Consumer behavior is heavily influenced by societal change and Taiwan's aging society has made healthy food a significant driver in the FMCG market. The functional food and dietary supplement market in Taiwan were estimated to surpass 160 billion new Taiwan dollars in 2021, with further expansion expected. According to a survey in 2022, around 70 percent of Taiwanese consumers of all ages took dietary supplements amid the pandemic, while most believed they could strengthen their immune systems.Another trend sweeping Taiwan's FMCG retail industry is quick commerce. According to a 2022 survey, more than half of Taiwanese consumers said they had used q- commerce platforms for fresh produce and groceries in the past year. Promos were named as a major motivator for using q-commerce in the same survey, and it frees up time for them to go shopping.
