Volume sales also started to grow this year

In the 2nd quarter of 2015 the consumer confidence index grew 5 points to 88 in the Czech Republic. The index is way above the continent’s 79-point average. As for the sales trends in grocery retail, volume sales have been gradually improving: in 2012 growth was minus 4 percent, in 2013 it was minus 1.6 percent and in 2014 growth was minus 0.3 percent. In Q1 of 2015 Nielsen finally registered plus 1.2 percent. In the above period average prices elevated between minus 1.4 percent and plus 5.6-percent. In the Czech Republic there are 15 grocery stores per 10,000 consumers – the same number is 18 in Hungary. They have 314 hypermarkets while in Hungary there are only 172. Czech consumers visit 3.8 grocery stores a month – we Hungarians go to 3.2. 12 percent of Czech consumers know the prices of products they frequently buy and this is the third lowest proportion after Bulgaria and Portugal. What about promotions? 16 percent of Czech consumers are willing to switch stores for the best promotional offer. This is the seventh lowest proportion in the 20 European countries surveyed. However, promotions rarely alter brand choice for 20 percent of Czech shoppers. They are the second most loyal to brands after Romania.