ACNielsen:subdued start of German confectionery sales

Confectionery sales in food retail stores (not including Aldi) during the first five calendar weeks of 2006 declined by 1.0% down to € 559.6 m. Comparing full year 2004 and 2005 figures ACNielsen confirm a 1.5% slide in sales down to € 6.436 bn.According to the market research experts, during January 2006 chocolate sales alone were up on the previous year and totalled € 256 m (+0.7%). For the full year 2005 sales of chocolate confectionery dipped by 2.1% down to € 3.130 bn. Sugar confectionery got off to a weak start in 2006, with sales in January down 2.9% to € 134 m. Full year results for 2005 reveal a more moderate decline of 1.4%,down to € 1.438 bn. Sales of salty snacks in 2005 were up slightly by 0.2% to € 1.078 bn; at the start of the year 2006 there was a downturn, however,with sales down 1.3% to € 102 m. The category sweet biscuits / wafers also underperformed in January,with sales down on the same month the year before by 3.4% to € 68m. Full year sales for 2005 were 1.8% below previous year levels, amounting to € 817m.