Nielsen confectionery monitor: Slide in sales volume and value

According to the latest Nielsen Company monitor, sales of confectionery in the German retail sector during the first half of 2011 failed to match previous year levels. Sales value (food retail stores + drugstores + forecourt + impulse) up until week 26 was down 1.5% on the same period the year before to € 5.641 bn. Growth of 4.0% in June failed to compensate for the sharp drop (- 6.8%) in May. Sales volume was down 1.9% to 1.050 m tonnes.

A glance at individual channels reveals only sales in food retail stores (not including Aldi/Lidl/Norma) match 2010 first half year results (€ 3.267 bn). Within the food retail sector the Nielsen category “hypermarkets regional” (+ 5.3%) achieved fastest growth; “superettes” suffered the steepest decline (- 8.8%). Discounters Aldi/Lidl/Norma suffered a 3.2% slide in sales down to € 1.763 bn, while impulse channel sales – including forecourt – slowed most, dipping 7.2% down to € 336 m. Compared with other channels, confectionery sales in drugstores fared relatively well, slipping a slight 1.2 % to € 275 m.

The only product category to chalk up growth was salty snacks, which grew 1.3% by week 26 to total € 995 m. Chocolate confectionery sales were down 1.7% to € 2.712 bn, sugar confectionery sales dropped 3.6% to € 1.233 bn. Sales of dry baked goods were only 1.1% down on the first half of 2010, totalling € 701 m.