EU sees positive FMCG growth

10 March 2010

Fast moving consumer goods growth across Europe outstripped the US in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to figures from The Nielsen Company.

Nielsen compared value and unit growth across a high number of product categories. Overall the EU posted a 2.9% growth to maintain a rate of around 3% for the entire year. This compares favourably with the US, which ended the year with a 0.6% growth rate.

The largest five European economies ended the year with varying degrees of growth. France and Spain performed well while Germany and Italy failed to stray too far from zero. Meanwhile, the UK made the 5% mark thanks to a 3% increase in volume.

Overall, the whole of Europe saw a year-on-year increase of 1% for the fourth quarter of 2009 with Austria, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Turkey also witnessing volume growth.  However, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland all suffered a decline.

Josh Colley, London