Confectionery has been an area of growth for the retail industry for many years and 2019 was no exception, says the NCA. With annual sales of $35.7bn across many channels, confectionery is a powerful category.
NCA insights reveal that in 2019, dollar sales increased 2.4%, driven by robust sales gains in non-chocolate (+3.4%), chocolate (+2.2%) and gum (+1.2%). Confectionery enjoyed very high engagement in 2019, with household penetration of 98.8%, an average of 35 trips and an average spend of $5.52 per visit.
“Over the past several months, consumers have been eating more meals at home, visiting fewer stores and increasing their level of comfort with online purchasing,” NCA President & CEO John Downs said. “These actions have changed nearly every facet of retail for the confectionery industry. In developing this robust series of reports, we hope to provide actionable insights to our member companies and retail partners so they can feel informed and prepared when making decisions for their businesses throughout and after this pandemic.”
The three-part series pulls from sales performance data, insights from industry leaders and independent research conducted by 210 Analytics, which surveyed more than 1,500 shoppers from across the country, including more than 700 parents.
Seasonal confectionery purchases and trends
Available now to NCA member companies and retail customers, the first report examines seasonal confectionery purchases and trends, including insights on the upcoming Halloween confectionery sales season and an outlook on consumers’ opinions of the 2020 winter holiday season. The report also touches on 2020 Valentine’s Day and Easter confectionery sales, which occurred just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to reshape American consumer behavior.
The second and third installments of the series, which will cover everyday confectionery sales and consumer behavioral shifts during COVID-19, will be available to NCA member companies and retail customers by late November 2020. NCA member companies and retail customers can view the first installment of the report at CandyUSA.com/COVIDReports.
