Nielsen reports a positive confectionery sales trend in German retail

With an average price increase of 1.1%, sales increased by 1.3% up to € 6.826 bn (basis: food retailers + drug stores + impulse channels + gas station shops + department stores). Sales increased in every segment in the first half of the year: salty snacks (+ 3.5%), chocolate products (+ 0.9%), baked goods (+ 0.6%) and sugar confectionery (+ 0.5%). Chocolate products, the product group with the strongest sales, saw its price level increase over the previous year (+ 3.3%), with chocolate bars, praline-like products and chocolate tablets larger than 100 g making a major contribution to sales expansion.  

Sugar confectionery witnessed mild sales growth while the price level sank by 0.8%. The strongest sugar confectionery segment consisting of fruit and wine gums stagnated, while cough lozenges and chewing gum suffered losses. Fruit candies, chewable candies and liquorice enjoyed positive development exceeding the level of the previous year. Baked goods quantities were slightly lower than the same period for the previous year (- 0.6%), but sales increased by 0.6%. Sales of sandwiched biscuits, other baked goods with chocolate as well as wafers without chocolate increased.  

Premium nuts were the greatest growth engine in the salty snacks category, with snack specialities and peanut kernels also significantly improving revenues. However, sales in potato chips, the strongest segment, declined. The price level remained unchanged with salty snacks.