Chocolate Candy: US Market Trends and Opportunities, 14th Edition

Report Overview

Everyday uses of chocolate such as for snacking and baking have always been important, but they are becoming more important to consumers since 2020 for a number of reasons. For instance, chocolate has been a stress-reliever for some consumers who have experienced higher anxiety levels during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, consumers who increased their baking activity as they stayed at home more and kept that habit up even as they settled into a “new normal” phase, are likely to use more chocolate for this purpose. Furthermore, chocolate is seen as an everyday indulgence; it tends to be readily available and affordable when other types of “self care” might not.
 

Special occasions and holidays that are often tied to food gifting and involve consuming traditional types of candy and baked treats – such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, Halloween, anniversaries, and winter holidays, particularly Christmas and Hanukkah – are also strategically important to chocolate sales. These are prime occasions for chocolate gifting and traditions that utilize candy, especially chocolate, which in turn can cause people to increase the amount or frequency with which they consume candy.

The US chocolate candy market is projected to expand at an average rate of 4.5% annually, reaching $38.3 billion in 2027. High levels of inflation and product premiumization that increases average prices drove dollar sales growth from 2017 through 2022.

Scope of the Report

This Packaged Facts report analyzes the dynamics of the current landscape of the chocolate candy market. Consumer demographics, perceptions, motivations, and behavior are examined as pertaining to dietary choices and purchases/consumption of chocolate. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers are also analyzed (in a broad sense), including in the context of chocolate.

Sales of chocolate candies in the scope of this report are segmented by type:

box/bag/bar
gift box
holiday/seasonal
novelty
snack size
sugar free

Baking chips and baking chocolate are included in the box/bag/bar segment, holiday/seasonal segment, and sugar free segment depending upon which category is most relevant.

Historical numbers for the retail chocolate market are provided from 2017 through 2022. Market forecasts are provided from 2023 through 2027. The holiday/seasonal category is segmented by occasion for 2022 (Christmas/winter holidays, Easter/spring, Halloween/fall, Valentine’s Day, and other seasonal).

The reasons for and implications of shifts in consumer perception and behavior are analyzed in the context of future market opportunities.

Additionally, the report has dozens of tables showcasing numerical survey data on consumer demographics and psychographics and numerous marketing photographs. This report goes in-depth on COVID-19 trends affecting the food and beverage market.

Primary research includes national online consumer polls of U.S. adult consumers (age 18+) conducted on an ongoing basis by Packaged Facts to analyze attitudes of consumers and their relevant food and beverage preferences.

Survey data from MRI-Simmons are used to analyze the demographics and psychographics of consumers.

Supplementing Packaged Facts’ exclusive survey is analysis of the 2022 Food & Health Survey conducted by the International Food Information Council, which analyzes consumer food purchase decisions, diet and lifestyle choices, snacking activity, and perception of health benefits in foods.