The confectionery market is traditionally divided into candy, chocolate, pastilles and chewing gum. Cloetta is active in all these categories, as well as in the nuts category.
The confectionery market
The total market for confectionery in Cloetta’s main markets amount to approximately SEK 339 bn (316). The confectionery market is relatively insensitive to economic fluctuations and shows stable growth that is driven primarily by population trends and price increases.
Consumption patterns
Confectionery is one of the most impulse driven categories in the retail trade. Up to 80 per cent of purchasing decisions are made at the point of sale. Brand, availability, and product placement are significant success factors. The European confectionery market is characterised by strong consumer loyalty to local brands. Shoppers however rarely buy only one brand but rather tend to have a few brands in their purchasing repertoire. The main considerations when buying are brand, flavour, quality and curiosity about new products. Consumption patterns and taste preferences vary between the different markets. For example, compared to the rest of Europe, the Nordic region has a higher per capita consumption of chocolate and candy.
Competitive market
The global market for confectionery is dominated by international companies like Mars, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, Ferrero, Perfetti Van Melle, Haribo and Lindt & Sprüngli. However, in the local markets these meet tough opposition from players with locally established brands such as Cloetta, Fazer, Orkla and Toms. No player has a strong position across all European markets. Consolidation of the confectionery industry is taking place gradually. The industry as such has a long history and the pace of technological product innovation is low.
Pick & mix
The Pick & mix segment has a very strong position in the Nordic countries and accounts for a large share of the total confectionery consumption, while the consumption of pick & mix is considerably lower in Central Europe where packaged candy and chocolate have a stronger position. In Sweden, pick & mix normally accounts for 30 per cent of the total confectionery market, while in the other Nordic countries it accounts for 5 to 15 per cent. After volume decline during the Covid 19 pandemic, pick & mix has recovered well with strong growth in both 2022 and 2023.
The nut market
Cloetta is also active in the nut market via the brands Nutisal in packed business and Parrots in pick & mix. The total nut market in the Nordic region is worth around SEK 5 bn, and the private labels of the retail trade account for approximately one third of the total market in value and 40 per cent in volume. In Cloetta’s main markets, the nut market is experiencing annual growth of 1–2 per cent in volume. In the recent years the category has been declining in volume but growing in value due to price increases and a shift to the premium product category.