South Africa Confectionery - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2024 - 2030)

Impulse purchase behavior of consumers and strategic product positioning in supermarkets/ hypermarkets and convenience stores drove the dominance with 80% value share in 2023

• Supermarkets and hypermarkets accounted for the largest share in the sales of confectionary products in 2022 in South Africa. The sale of confectionary products increased by 4.31% in value in 2022 compared to 2021. The confectionery products are kept at highly visible places in supermarkets, such as the checkout line, which leads to impulse buying of candies and chocolates. Moreover, the growth in the number of supermarkets is boosting the growth of the market. There are around 4018 Supermarkets in the country. South African supermarkets, led by the two main chains, Shoprite and Pick n Pay, have rapidly spread across the region.
• Convenience stores hold the second largest share in the country for the sales of confectionery products. The proximity factor of these channels in the country provides them with an added advantage of influencing the consumer’s decision to purchase among the large variety of products available in the market. Retail brands have proven to be a major disruptor in forecourt convenience. Retail partnerships at forecourts have increased +69% over the last five years to 745 stores at forecourts in 2022.
• Online channel is anticipated to be the fastest growing distribution channel in the country with a CAGR of 6.89% by value during the forecast period. Takealot, Woolworths, and Amazon are some of the online retailers that sell confectionary products in South Africa. Around 30% of South African consumers have shifted their shopping habits from in-person grocery store visits to online. Fast delivery and innovative platforms for a high-level shopping experience are the major factors contributing to the growth of online sales of confectionary items.

South Africa Confectionery Market Trends

The emerging trend of gifting chocolate on birthdays, anniversaries, and other life events is propelling the confectionery market to grow

• South Africa remains the prominent confectionery-consuming country in Africa. Sugar confections are largely consumed in the country, followed by chocolates. The emerging trend of gifting chocolate on birthdays, anniversaries, and other life events drives the consumption of milk chocolates and dark chocolates.
• Creative advertisement campaigns and packaging are the most prominent factors influencing the impulse buying of confectionery in the region. Consumers continuously scrutinize labels and contents to make healthy choices about their sugar confectionery intake.
• Confectionery sales registered a growth of 11.44% from 2021 to 2023. The sales growth is linked to the evolving snacking preferences in South Africa.; In 2023, the chocolate segment accounted for 51.42% of the overall confectionery consumption in South Africa;
• The rising consumer inclination toward low-sugar or low-calorie snack food is estimated to create lucrative opportunities for healthy variants of confectionery during the forecast period.

South Africa Confectionery Industry Overview

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