The Central American market (CAM) is experiencing a healthy growth of +2.0% in value, according to the analysis «Price in Play: Strategies in Times of Uncertainty» (YTD '25 vs YTD '24) by NielsenIQ (NIQ), a global leader in consumer intelligence. This boost translates into a modest gain in market share, while the traditional channel experiences a slight decrease in its participation. Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua are the countries leading this development, evidencing a clear migration of purchasing towards modern formats. Consumers are "voting with their wallets," favoring supermarkets that guarantee a better cost per volume, especially in larger sizes. This advance comes with a slight volume adjustment of -0.2% and moderate price pressure, recording a variation of +2.4%.
Panama and Nicaragua are the main drivers of this trend. In terms of price segmentation, the Value segment is gaining share in the traditional channel, while the Mainstream and Premium segments are strengthening in supermarkets. Growth of Promotions as a Key Driver. Promotions currently represent 18% of total sales in Central America and have grown by 15% compared to the previous year.
NielsenIQ study details the migration of consumers to the supermarket channel in Central America. The NIQ analysis highlights that the region is adjusting its purchasing habits, favoring large formats and supermarket chains in countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. This increase is led mainly by Costa Rica and El Salvador, which confirms that promotions continue to be a decisive factor for driving regional volume.
Migration and Share Gain in Modern Formats. The supermarket channel (chains) registers an increase in both value (+2.3%) and volume (+0.3%). The main reason for this reorientation is the appeal of profitability: in the new format, 45% of the categories are more economical by volume compared to the traditional channel.
Leadership of Large Formats and Price Segmentation. Unlike other markets, in Central America, the consumer is prioritizing the acquisition of formats that guarantee a better long-term return. Regional growth is being led by large formats, especially within the beverage category, which reflects an active search for the best price per volume. The executive suggests that manufacturers and retailers should optimize their portfolio and prices in the larger formats to capitalize on this search for efficiency.
"Price per volume drives the growth of the supermarket channel in Central America," affirms NielsenIQ.
