Dollar sales of confectionery products grew 11.1 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, and 22.1 percent compared to 2019, according to the annual State of Treating report published by the National Confectioners Association.
It found that 81 percent of consumers view chocolate and candy as a fun part of life and 74 percent as an affordable treat. The report polled 1,567 consumers between the ages of 18 and 75 in December 2022.
The total confectionery category reached $42.6 billion in sales, driven by inflation that reached a 40-year high in 2022. The category is projected to reach $54.3 billion in sales by 2027.
"With high marks for favorability and permissibility, along with the majority of consumers agreeing that confectionery is an affordable treat, chocolate and candy sales grew despite economic pressures," said John Downs, NCA president and CEO, in a statement. "Consumers continue to treat with chocolate and candy to enhance their emotional well-being, celebrate holidays and enjoy everyday moments."
The report also found that:
• Seventy-eight percent of consumers believe confectionery sharing and gifting are great traditions.
• Consumers buy confectionery in three to four different retail channels, led by supercenters and supermarkets.
• Sixty-one percent of shoppers look for confectionery products they have never purchased before.
• Fifty-nine percent of candy consumers have searched Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for confectionery-related content.
• Forty-three percent of consumers prefer to learn about a brand's environmental, social, and governance efforts directly from the package label.
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