IRI confectionery monitor: successful start to 2014

Confectionery providers in Germany reported a successful start in 2014 to market researchers at IRI. According to the monitor, sales for January and February increased by 2.8% over the year prior at € 2.036 bn. The sales volume increased by 1.4% to 276,753 tonnes (based on food retail stores, drug stores, discounters and forecourt). Long-life bakery products proved to be the segment with the strongest sales with an increase of 5.9% to € 684.8 m – chocolate products were slightly ahead the year prior.

The boon amongst long-life bakery products was indisputably due to salty snacks with an impressive sales increase of 11.2%, while sales of sweet baked goods (+ 0.8%) stagnated and even receded for the cakes/tortes product group (- 3.2%). According to IRI figures, sales of chocolate products (not including refrigerated bars and seasonal items) increased by 2.5% to € 670.9 m. Sugar confectionery sales (€ 262.1 m) were down 2.2% compared with the first two months of 2013. The fruit gums/mallows/liquorice product group achieved growth of 1.4%. In contrast, bonbon sales fell by 6.1%.

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