Hungarians are price-sensitive according to Tesco’s Martin Coulam

This year, the demand was noticeable as soon as the salaries arrived in people’s bank accounts. The article provides figures for the sale of Easter-related products, including nearly 2.3 million eggs, approximately 140,000 kilograms of ham, and more than 1.5 million Easter sweets. Over 32 million goods were sold during the Holy Week, with many customers using their Clubcard discounts. The Tesco Home Delivery service’s order volume increased by 50% in this period.

Coulam also noted that Hungarians are much more careful with their money and have become conscious shoppers. They are continuously searching for discounts, price cuts, and the proliferation of their own brands, primarily in clothing, household, and gardening items. Changes are seen in consumer behavior for beauty and baby care products and pet food, where demand is lower than before. Demand has decreased for meat and dairy products, as well as fruits and vegetables. Coulam states that the inflation relief may ease the pressure on customers, but there will be no significant changes in their spending habits. They will continue to face high prices for fuel, telephone bills, etc.

Coulam believes that it is challenging to assess the market and determine consumer baskets due to the changes in purchasing behavior. He noted that in the past 14 months, since the outbreak of the pandemic, the world has changed considerably, and Hungarians have had to manage with less money. The article highlights that Coulam also spoke about home delivery services, which gained popularity during the pandemic. He emphasized that despite the recent relaxing of restrictions, the demand for home delivery services remained high.