Retail sales of food products in Romania reached 93 billion lei (18.9 billion euros) in 2021, an increase of 11.7% compared to 2020 and 48% compared to 2007, while net profit was 3.6 billion lei (730.2 million euros).

An analysis of the retail market in Romania conducted by KeysFin and RetailZoom estimated that retail sales of food products exceeded 108 billion lei (21.9 billion euros) in 2022, driven by increased consumption and inflation.

Although local FMCG retail has decreased in terms of the number of locations in recent years, sales shares have increased through regional retail chains and large independent stores, according to the study.

The contribution of local chains and supermarkets (Local Key Accounts - LKA) represents approximately 10% of the total national retail sales of food products.

The proximity retail channel, which increasingly competes with international retail networks, includes over 400 companies operating approximately 2,040 stores.

Local trade, represented by small, traditional stores, is much broader, with approximately 31,600 companies operating around 42,000 stores in all formats.

LKA store sales in 2022 increased by 11.6% in value compared to 2021, a level below the average inflation, while sales volume decreased by 1.6%.

The top 20 product categories in Romanian consumers' shopping baskets include raw meat (fresh and frozen), beer, carbonated soft drinks, coffee, bottled water, milk and yogurt, and wines.

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, food prices in March 2023 increased by 21.6% compared to the same month in 2022.