FEATURE
CHOCOLATE & CONFECTIONERY
26 ASIAN TRADER 27 JUNE 2025
to maintain social connections
whilst managing household
budgets more carefully, with
staying in representing a
cost-effective alternative to
expensive nights out.
This behavioural change has
tangible implications for product
selection and merchandising.
Cost-of-living pressures have
driven consumers to “eat in”
more, creating opportunities for
convenience retailers to position
themselves as destinations for
“meal for tonight” and BNI offers.
The key lies in understanding that
sharing formats and bag products
are particularly well-suited to
these occasions, as they facilitate
group consumption and offer
better value perception.
Despite economic headwinds,
brand loyalty in confectionery
continues to outperform many
other categories. Nash notes that
“brands continue to stand out in
confectionery, relative to other
categories, with brand growth in
gifting and sharing stronger than
own label.” This trend is particu
larly pronounced in the gifting
and sharing segment, where
brands are outstripping the own
label competition with 11.2
percent total category growth
[Nielsen]
This brand strength reflects
consumers’ desire for trusted
quality when treating themselves
or others. “Despite economic
uncertainties putting pressure on
household budgets, consumers
are still looking for treats from
trusted brands so the confection
ery category is more important
than ever,” Nash emphasises.
Value without
compromise
The relationship between price
and value has become increas
ingly nuanced. While consumers
are price-conscious, they’re
not necessarily seeking the
cheapest options. Nash
clarifies that “consumers
are focused on value not
price,” highlighting the
importance of perceived
worth rather than simply
low prices.
Price-marked packs have
gained particular traction
in this environment. “Price
marked packs help deliver a
value message in-store,
tapping into consumers’
need for ‘affordable’ treats,
so they’re an important
part of a convenience
retailer’s range,” Nash
explains. However, she
notes that “there is still a
demand for premium
products, and we see
consumers not wanting to
hold back on seasonal treats, in
particular.”
The confectionery category is
adapting to health trends without
sacrificing indulgence. Roberts
notes that “health concerns still
remain a priority for all,” but
crucially, consumers are seeking
choice rather than elimination.
“Our sugar-free alternatives allow
people to make their own
choices,” he explains, with
Perfetti Van Melle remaining “the
leader within the Sugar Free
category, with sales continuing to
grow.”
The regulatory environment is
also shaping product develop
ment, with Roberts highlighting
that offering “a full range that
supports the governments HFSS
guidelines of under 150kcal per
pack – something most manufac
turers can’t, gives Perfetti the
opportunity to be closer to these
impulse purchases.”
Plant-based alternatives
represent another significant
growth area. Roberts announces
that “family favourite and top ten
candy brand, Fruit-tella’s
best-selling chews have transi
tioned to a fully vegan recipe,
meaning that the brand can now
deliver fruity joy to an even bigger
audience of consumers.”
The switch to vegan will be
implemented across the full range
of chews including the Fruit-tella
favourite Simply Strawberry
Chews, and the more recent
edition of Fruit-tella Berries &
Cherries. This transition main
tains quality whilst expanding
market reach, as “the delectable
chews will still contain real fruit
juice and be made with all-natural
colourings and flavours.”
Dark chocolate
revolution
A particularly noteworthy trend is
the growing consumer preference
for dark chocolate, driven by
health consciousness and
perceived wellness benefits.
Stubbins, from Divine Chocolate,
reveals that “consumer prefer
ence towards dark chocolate is
growing,” with value sales for
dark chocolate up
22 per cent year on
year [Nielsen].
This shift
appears to be driven
by health considera
tions, with Stubbins
suggesting that
“shoppers are
switching into dark
chocolate as they
recognise it is less
processed, and
contains less sugar, and
therefore, believe it to be better
for them.” For retailers, this
presents an opportunity to
expand dark chocolate ranges and
educate consumers about
premium options that combine
health benefits with exceptional
taste credentials.
“Divine Chocolate is a
specialist in dark chocolate with
options at both 70 per cent and 85
per cent, so the range is a
great place to start for
retailers looking to
capitalise on this trend,”
Stubbins adds. “For those
worrying that dark
chocolate doesn’t taste as
good, Divine has won a
coveted eight Great Taste
Awards, proving that dark
chocolate – when crafted
using the finest cocoa and
pure cocoa butter, with no
nasty fillers – really is the
cream of the crop.”
Perhaps one of the most
innovative trends is the
growth of licensed
confectionery products
that leverage established
brand equities from other
categories. Diageo’s
Hassett highlights that
“licensed products from
highly salient and well-loved
household brands help to have
influence outside of traditional
categories and when optimally
merchandised are best placed to
succeed.”
The success of Baileys-licensed
confectionery exemplifies this
trend. “Baileys licensed products
are hugely popular with adult
consumers, with more than four
million licensed products sold in
the UK last year, equating to one
product sold every eight seconds,”
Hassett reveals. Remarkably,
“over 20 per cent of Baileys
shoppers do not
purchase the spirit
itself, instead only
purchasing the brand’s
licensed products on
offer,” demonstrating
how licensing can
access entirely new
consumer segments.
This approach
addresses a crucial
retail challenge:
“we know that 80
per cent of consum
ers don’t regularly visit the BWS
aisle which can leave a huge gap in
potential sales.” Licensed
products allow retailers to capture
this missed opportunity by
bringing familiar brand experi
ences into high-traffic confec
tionery areas.
On-the-go solutions
The confectionery category’s
resilience is underpinned by
continuous innovation and strate
gic product development that
meets evolving consumer needs.
Leading manufacturers are
demonstrating how thoughtful
product design, combined with
compelling marketing cam
paigns, can drive incremental
sales and enhance the conveni
ence retail experience.
Understanding the conveni
ence shopper’s mindset is crucial
for product success. As Stubbins