Nielsen confectionery monitor: salty snacks the sole winner

A sure guarantee for growth, salty snacks showed revenues rise 3.9% to € 2.533 bn, powered by positive development in premium nuts (+ 4.3%), snack specialities (+ 7.4%), and crackers (+ 38.2%). Sales of chocolate products fell by 1.9% to € 5.100 bn. The best-selling segment, chocolate bars, ramped up 2.9%, while praline-like products (- 4.4%), 100 g tablets (- 6.0%), large tablets (- 4.3%), praline mixes (- 3.9%) and pralines with alcohol (- 11.7%) suffered significant declines.

The sales slump of 4.1% to € 2.196 bn in sugar confectionery resulted primarily from the modest performance of fruit and wine gums (- 6.5%), liquorice (- 6.9%), fruit bonbons (- 9.5%) and chocolate kisses (- 9.1%). With revenues of € 1.450 bn, the baked goods category was performing at 3.4% less than the year prior. Cookies (- 11.0%), chocolate shortbread biscuits (- 11.1%), and bagged baked goods and waffle mixes (- 13.2%) lost ground in the double digits.

Developments in confectionery sales in individual distribution channels showed slight growth with small consumer markets (+ 2.1%) and drug stores (+ 1.1%). All other channels fell short of 2017 figures.