United States Chocolate Candy Market Analysis, Trends and Opportunities, 2015-2020 & 2021-2025

Dublin, Sept. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Chocolate Candy: U.S. Market Trends and Opportunities, 13th Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report combines the publisher's extensive monitoring of the food and beverage market with proprietary surveys, and evaluates current trends and future directions for marketing and retailing, along with consumer patterns during the pandemic and across the broader food and beverage market.

Historical and forecast data are available for snack food and chocolate shipments and retail sales of chocolate. Shipment values and retail sales are provided for 2015-2020 and projected for 2025.

In 2020 and 2021, the coronavirus pandemic had a significant effect on chocolate purchases and holiday activities. The publisher has found that one-fourth of consumers have extended or will extend seasonal celebrations compared to pre-pandemic behavior, which has prolonged the time that marketers can promote seasonal and holiday chocolates.

Some consumers are also eating more chocolate and using more chocolate for occasions such as snacking and baking during the pandemic. Survey results also reveal that those who are frequent chocolate users are more likely to have experienced negative personal effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a focus on "what's next" and current consumer trends, the report is packed with insights about consumer trends, behavior, and motivations to help food producers, retailers, packaging companies, employers, and investors gauge consumer perspectives and find areas for growth in a competitive market.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

• Chocolate Eating Occasions
• Priorities When Buying Chocolate
• Packaging Opportunities
• Key Demographics
• Scope
• Related Reports

2. COVID-19 Effects on Consumers

• Highlights
• Frequent Chocolate Consumers Express Greater Concerns about the Coronavirus
• Consumers Who Report Eating Chocolate Frequently or Often Are Experiencing More Negative Personal Effects of the Pandemic
• Effects on Work Are Higher Among Frequent Chocolate Users
• Eating Habits Are Changing
• Increasing Use of Convenient Food Ordering Methods Is Higher Among Those Who Eat Chocolate Frequently or Often
• Consumers Are Using Chocolate More for Snacking, Baking, and Dessert During the Pandemic
• Some Consumers Are Extending Seasonal Celebrations Due to the Pandemic, and the Effect Is Much Stronger with Frequent Chocolate Users
• Consumer Chocolate Consumption During the Pandemic

3. Overview and Market Trends

• Gluten, Food Allergies, and Dietary Restrictions Are a Concern to Many Consumers
• Vegetarians, Vegans, and Flexitarians: Plant-Based Eating, Sustainability, and Beyond
• Food Gifting Trends
• Purchasing for Others
• Purchasing Food Gifts For Self
• Personal vs. Work-Related Food Gift Types
• Sustainability of Chocolate Production
• Deforestation and Human Rights Concerns
• Chocolate Marketers Working Toward Improving the Cocoa Supply Chain
• Sustainable Farming Techniques
• Fair Trade Chocolate as a More Ethical Product
• Home Baking Trends
• Baking for Indulgence, Nostalgia, or Comfort
• Convenience Foods and Semi-Homemade Foods
• Cross Branding Can Increase Appeal of Baking Products
• Companies Are Investing in Blockchain and Big Data to Satisfy Consumer Desires for Transparency
• Consumers Think Small and Medium Businesses Have More Credibility
• Drivers of Food Purchase Decisions
• More Than Half of Consumers Say Healthfulness Matters More to Them Now When Deciding on Foods to Buy
• Influential Labels in Food Purchasing Decisions
• Half of Consumers Say Whether a Food Is Processed Affects Purchasing Decisions
• A Majority of Consumers Want to Know Where Food Comes From
• Sustainability Is Important to Many Consumers
• Most Consumers Think Knowing Whether Food Choices Are Environmentally Sustainable Is Hard
• Health Benefits in Foods
• One-Fourth of Consumers Seek Health Benefits from Foods
• Nutrients Considered Healthy by Consumers
• Most Sought After Nutrients
• Perception of Health Differences in Products

4. Sales, Shipments, and Consumer Use of Chocolate

• Shipments of Snack Foods and Chocolate Confections
• Table Snack Food and Chocolate Shipments, 2015-2020, 2025P (billion dollars)
• Chocolate Retail Sales
• Category Dollar Sales
• Luxury, Premium, and Everyday Chocolate
• Most Consumers Have Purchased Chocolate in the Last Six Months
• Boxed Chocolate Brands
• Regular or King Size Chocolate Brands
• Miniature/Loose Chocolate
• Chocolate Consumption Frequency
• Dark and Milk Chocolate Are Used Most Often as Snacks, While White and Flavored Chocolate Are Most Used for Special Occasions

5. Retail and Marketing Trends and Opportunities

• Personalization and Customization Is Important in the Chocolate Food Gifting Space
• Indulgence vs. Health and "Better-for-You" Chocolate Trends
• Clean Label Trends
• Unrefined Sugar
• Sugar-Free Chocolate and Alternative Sweeteners
• Low-Carb/High Protein, Keto, and Paleo Diets
• Addition of Nuts, Fruit, Seeds, and Other Ingredients for Increased Nutrition
• Vegan/Plant-Based Chocolate Appeals to Those Looking to Eat a Plant-Forward Diet
• Organic Products
• Unique Flavors and Flavor Combinations
• Candy Adjacencies
• Targeting LGBT Consumers, a Growing Demographic
• Families with Children Are Important Chocolate Users
• Major Holidays
• Winter Holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa)
• Valentine's Day
• Mother's Day
• Easter
• Halloween
• Weddings & Anniversaries
• The Percentage of Consumers Who Are Married Has Fallen, But More People Are Now Living With Domestic Partners
• Same-Sex Marriages
• Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Marketing
• New Companies and Products with Niche Appeal May Choose DTC Channels
• Private Labels
• Subscription Boxes
• In-Store Purchasing Trends
• Retail Stores Rely More On Impulse Purchases of Chocolate
• Holiday Promotions Are Key
• Private Label Chocolates Are a Driver of Store Traffic and Retailer Loyalty
• Brand Positioning of Top Chocolate Marketers
• Lindt & Sprungli Group
• Godiva
• Hershey
• Mars Wrigley
• Ferrero

6. Consumer Demographics

• Use of Chocolate is Overall Highest Among the 45-54 Age Group of Generation Xers
• Women Are More Likely than Men to Purchase Chocolate
• Chocolate Purchases Vary Somewhat Across Different Household Income Brackets, But Are High Among All Groups
• Presence of Children in the Household
• LGBT Consumers Are the Most Likely Demographic to Buy Chocolate
• Those Living in the Midwest Region Are Most Likely to Buy Chocolate
• Chocolate Purchases Are High Among All Racial/Ethnic Groups
• Differences in Chocolate Purchased Based on Educational Attainment

7. Consumer Psychographics

• Buying Styles
• Food Attitudes of Chocolate Users by Type
• General Attitudes of Consumers and Chocolate Users
• Health Attitudes of Chocolate Users and General Consumers
• Price Is the Highest Priority for Most Consumers
• Frequent Chocolate Users Place Higher Priority on Most Chocolate Traits
• Millennials Place a Higher Priority on Many Chocolate Traits Such as Higher Cacao Content, Unique Flavors, Fair Trade, and Organic
• Willingness to Pay More for Different Chocolate Features
• Most Consumers Think Dark Chocolate Is Healthy and that Chocolate Can Be Consumed As Part of a Healthy Lifestyle

8. Packaging Trends

• The Balance Between Effective and Low-Cost Packaging
• Food Gift Buyers Think Attractive Packaging is More Important Than Eco-Friendly Packaging, But Looks Are Decreasing in Importance
• Recyclable/Environmentally Friendly Packaging Is More Important Than Ever
• Packaging Types Considered Eco-Friendly by Consumers
• Seeking Out Sustainable or Eco-Friendly Packaging
• Opportunities for Biodegradable and Compostable Packaging
• Targeting Excessive Packaging for Reduction and Elimination
• Truth in Advertising Extends to Packaging
• Functional Packaging Can Be Framed as Sustainability
• Creative Packaging Provides Gift Recipients with a Memorable Experience
• Protective Packaging Is Important For Product Integrity
• A Shift from Expensive Set-Up Boxes to Other Paper Packaging
• Retail-Ready Packaging Makes Chocolate Promotions Stand Out and Promotes Stocking Efficiency in Stores

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/81h0i8