Europe Sugar Confectionery Market Outlook, 2027

Europe is the global leader of the sugar confectionery market, aided by the product portfolio extension and new brand launches by established players. Confectioneries' main ingredient is sugar or similar sweeteners. The consumer trend of snacking gives the sugar confectionery market demand to rise. Functional confectionery continues to grab the interest of both companies and consumers who are looking forward to newer and value-added products. One of the major hindrances to the market's growth is the presence of high sugar content in these confectioneries. Therefore, they are adding healthy ingredients to set themselves apart from the competition. New ingredients like pomegranate, cranberry, and acai with chia seeds, sea salt, and other fruit flavours are on the rise. Gum candies act as a functional ingredient type as they prevent cavities and cleanse the mouth and teeth. Perfetti Van Melle's product Mentos Greenway Gum is a loved confectionery by all. It is made with natural products, colours, and stevia as an alternative to sugar. It is available in three flavours: peppermint, spearmint, and sweet mint.

According to the research report, Europe Sugar Confectionery Market Outlook, 2027 it is projected to grow at a steady CAGR of 3.16% over the forecast period ending in 2027. The European sugar confectionery market is dominated by Ferrero International SA, Mondelez International, Mars Incorporated, and Nestle SA. Several other companies and local companies also cater to sugar confectionery demands, but during festivals, the traditional and well-established companies' products are preferred by consumers. Additionally, the companies are also expanding their product portfolios with enhanced nutritional content, new products, packaging formats, and advertising campaigns. Government actions to combat increased sugar consumption, as well as social media campaigns to raise public awareness, are limiting market growth. Increased sugar taxes to restrict its consumption further add to the price rise of the final confectionery product. Medicated lozenges, though a small category, have potential to grow as consumers look for cavity-free candies. Further infusion with healthy ingredients like menthol, honey, and lemon is expected to drive future market demand for the same products.

Hard-boiled sweets lead the market, though, with declining demand. Competitive prices result in stiff competition within the brands. With an incline in health consciousness, the region has inclined towards the snack bar as an alternative to confectioneries. To surpass this hindrance, the manufacturers are constantly innovating around flavours like citrus, which have gained immense popularity. Although being a niche market, the use of vegetable extracts is also found in confectionery production. The change in the taste and preference of the customers towards healthy eating is allowing the segment of sugar-free confectionery to grow with an anticipated CAGR of 6.38%. However, the northern European countries have a strong obsession with liquorice, while the liquorice root is native to the southern part of the region. The market is led by the adult age group segment, which is also expected to be the fastest-growing segment with an anticipated CAGR of 3.51%.

In terms of sales channels, the region follows the global trend, with convenience stores leading the market in the year 2021. Factors such as an increase in gifting trends and the growth of retail marketing in the industry are expected to facilitate the market's growth in the coming years. By the end of the forecasted period, the e-commerce segment is expected to be growing with an anticipated CAGR of 6.92%.

Germany leads the European region, with a market share of nearly 17% in the year 2021, while the rest of the European region is expected to grow to a share of little less than 50% by the end of 2027. In the UK, the focus on sugar strengthened in 2020 when Boris Johnson announced a new anti-obesity strategy. During the pandemic of COVID-19, even though the work from home routine boosted the snacking opportunity, on the other hand, the insecurity in the cash flow restricted the consumer's spending power. One of the major trends in the region is the rising idea of giving confectioneries in the form of reward and gratification, which is to aid the market in the coming period. The leading companies are focusing on improving their global position by enhancing their product lines and through mergers and acquisitions. Understanding the changes in lifestyles, companies are now innovating and introducing new products to cater to the customers' growing needs.

Companies Mentioned:

Mars Wrigley Confectionery, div. of Mars Inc., Ferrero Group, Haribo GmbH & Co. K.G., Perfetti Van Melle, Meiji Co. Ltd., Nestle SA, Hershey Co., Lotte confectionery Co Ltd, Mondelez International, Lindt & Sprungli AG

Considered in this report

• Geography: Europe
• Base year: 2021
• Estimated year: 2022
• Forecast year: 2027

Aspects Covered in the report:

• Europe Market Size By Value for the time period (2015-2026F)
• Country Wise Market Size By Value for the time period (2015-2026F)
• Market Share by Product Type (Hard Boiled Sweets, Plain Mints, Caramel/ Toffee, Chewy, Novelty, Licorice, Sugar-free, Others) By Value
• Market Share by Age Group (Children(1-20 Age), Adult (20-55) & Geriatric(55 and above)) By Value
• Market Share by Sales Channel (Supermarket/Hypermarket, Convenience Stores, Pharmaceutical & Drug Stores, E-commerce & Others) By Value

Countries covered in the report:

• Germany
• United Kingdom
• France
• Spain
• Italy

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to sugar confectionery industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.