FEATURE
CHOCOLATE & CONFECTIONERY
32 ASIAN TRADER 27 JUNE 2025
presentation.”
Hague advises retailers to
create dedicated novelty displays
in stores that are stocked with
exciting novelty lines and that
highlight the low price points.
“Novelty sweets carry a high
perceived value, making them
excellent sales drivers for pocket
money spenders. Place the
displays in high-traffic spots in the
store, such as near the tills or at
aisle ends to encourage impulse
buys,” she adds.
Recognition of retailers’ time
constraints has led to comprehen
sive support systems. Nash
highlights their retailer website,
www.SnackDisplay.
com, which has
category tutorials that
are “perfect for new
starters who would like
to get to grips with
their ranges, and
category display pages
for any staff who
have designated
areas of the store to
look after.” These resources
include practical tools such as a
quick reference best-seller list,
re-sharable social media content,
and a profit calculator.
For convenience retailers, the
strategy is clear: embrace the
premiumisation trend whilst
maintaining accessibility. Success
requires balancing traditional
impulse purchasing with new
consumption occasions, maintain
ing strong brand representation
whilst offering value, and
expanding categories to include
health-conscious, vegan, and
licensed alternatives. The key lies
in understanding that modern
consumers seek treating experi
ences that align with their values,
budgets, and lifestyles, creating
opportunities for retailers who can
curate ranges that deliver on these
multifaceted demands.
And, the category’s impulsive
nature remains one of its greatest
strengths, making strategic
placement and visual merchan
dising crucial for maximising
sales. With Christmas approach
ing and the school holidays
providing additional opportuni
ties, the chocolate and confec
tionery category offers
independent retailers a sweet
path to sustained profitability in
challenging times.
category extends beyond product
selection to strategic merchandis
ing and positioning that leverages
convenience stores’ unique
strengths against larger competi
tors. Independent retailers can
differentiate themselves by focus
ing on exclusivity, purposeful
merchandising, and creating
compelling in-store experiences.
The key to competing with
supermarkets lies in offering
products consumers cannot easily
find elsewhere. Stubbins
emphasises that “by giving shelf
space to brands that consumers
might not find in their local
supermarket, independents can
win in the category.” This
approach requires
“identifying
brands that meet
current consumer
demands and
ensuring these
receive prominent
shelf placement.”
Purpose-driven
brands offer particular
opportunities for
differentiation.
Divine Chocolate
exemplifies this with their
comprehensive ethical position
ing: “For the last 25 years, we’ve
been purchasing all the ingredi
ents that make Divine Chocolate
on Fairtrade terms, which
includes a Fairtrade Premium,
which farmers and co-operative
owners decide how to spend.” The
brand’s commitment extends to
profit-sharing, with “farmers
and co-owners also benefit from
20 per cent of Divine’s profits
too,” addressing the reality that
“the average cocoa farmer earns
only six per cent of the total
price of a chocolate bar.”
Stubbins advises that
“retailers can build a credible
range by looking to brands with
seeking a treat that is lower in
sugar but doesn’t compromise on
taste.” Clare Newton, Trade &
Shopper Marketing Manager,
explains: “Reflecting consumer
trends, including the rising
popularity of sour and tropical
flavours, Squashies Tropical and
Squashies Sour Shooting Stars
retain the unique soft and foamy
texture and beloved taste of
Squashies whilst appealing to
those seeking a HFSS-compliant
choice.”
Mars Wrigley’s Snickers “Off
Your Game” campaign demon
strates the power of sports
marketing in confectionery. Steve
Waters, Snickers Senior Brand
Manager, highlights the category
opportunity: “We know that the
confectionery category experi
ences a 20 per cent uplift during
major tournament with 75 per
cent of sports fans snacking
whilst watching game. This
presents a great opportunity for
retailers to drive profits.”
The campaign, backed by
£1.5m media investment, spans
across all Mars Wrigley bar brands
(including Snickers, Mars, Twix
and Bounty), offering
retailers “significant
opportunities to drive
impulse purchases and
category growth.”
Werther’s
Original’s compre
hensive rebrand,
unveiled last month,
represents the
largest update in
the brand’s
121-year history.
Andy Mutton, Managing Director
at Storck UK, positions the
refresh strategically: “The rebrand
comes at a time of strong growth
within the sugar category,
enabling retailers to capitalise on
consumer demand for variety,
convenience and sugar-free
alternatives.”
With 96 per cent brand
awareness and worth £36 million
in the UK, the refresh aims to
“inject new energy into the brand
while enhancing its shelf
standout” whilst maintaining the
brand’s heritage appeal.
Differentiation through
exclusivity
Success in the confectionery
purpose-led or sustainability
messaging, that go beyond just a
nod to sustainability,” ensuring
authenticity that resonates with
increasingly conscious
consumers
whilst maintain
ing product
excellence.
Effective
merchandising
goes beyond
traditional category
placement. Hassett
advocates for
“innovative
merchandising strategies that
disrupt shopper journeys and
encourage impulse purchases.”
The data supporting strategic
placement is compelling:
eye-level shelves generate 35 per
cent more sales compared to
lower or higher shelves [Nielsen
Shopper Behaviour Research],
whilst 16 per cent of unplanned
purchases are driven by in-store
advertising and display [POPAI
Research].
Cross-category merchandising
presents significant opportuni
ties, particularly with licensed
products that can create “cross-
category touchpoints that
reinforce brand awareness and
contribute to increased sales,”
Hassett notes. The impact of
presentation quality cannot be
understated, with “62 per cent of
shoppers making impulse buys
when attracted to an eye-catching