IRI: solid performance in the first half of 2013

The first two quarters of 2013 ended with a 1.5% sales increase for German confectionery retailers and a sales volume just shy of the year prior (- 0.2%). 842,616 tonnes of confectionery valued at € 5.77 bn was sold in the first half of the year according to the IRI monitor (based on: grocery stores, drug stores, hard discount stores and petrol stations).

The cool temperatures in May and June of this year appear to have positive effects on the sales of chocolate products. Compared with the year prior, the first four months of 2013 were 2.8 percentage points lower, but € 2.21 bn (not including chilled bars and seasonal items) at the end of the second quarter meant a dip of just 1.9%. The sugar confectionery segment revealed a solid increase in profits of 5.1% at € 887.7 m. Bonbons and chocolate covered marshmallow treats demonstrated above average growth at + 5.5% and + 10.9%, respectively.

After four months still 6.9 percentage points higher compared with 2012, the dry baked goods category had to be content with a sales increase of 5.6% at € 2.16 bn. This was primarily due to the fact that the strongest sub-segment, salty snacks, reached an increase of only 7.6% in the IRI half-yearly figures after experiencing double-digit growth in April (+ 10.8%).

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