German confectionery industry: growth on home market

The German confectionery market (not including semi-finished products) grew 0.7% in volume during 2004 to total 2.565 m tonnes worth € 9.273 bn, an increase of 2.5%, according to the preliminary figures announced by the BDSI for 2004. Driving growth most was the category chocolate confectionery; sales volume grew 5.9% up to 721,757 tonnes worth € 3.813 bn (+12.1%). Sugar confectionery home market sales grew 3.2% up to 520,057 tonnes worth € 1.736 bn (+0.8%).


Per capita consumption rose accordingly. In 2004 German consumers consumed an average 8.75 kg of chocolate confectionery worth € 46.22 per head. Per capita consumption of sugar confectionery rose up to 6.3 kg worth € 21.04. In contrast there was a decline in the domestic market volume and per capita consumption of fine pastries/biscuits (-0.7%/-0.1%), snacks (-4.9%/-5.8%) and - above all - ice cream (-13.9%/-17.7%).


Confectionery production up in 2004


In 2004 3.354 m tonnes of confectionery worth € 11.256 bn were produced in Germany. According to the preliminary BDSI figures for 2004 this translates into production volume growth of 3.2% and an increase in production value of 4.7%. Double digit growth was reported for the most significant product category chocolate and chocolate confectionery; product volume rose 11.0 % to total 855,684 tonnes worth € 4.309 bn (+14.3%). Chocolate benefitted from cooler summer temperatures in 2004 and recovered from the negative impact of the 2003 summer heatwave.