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The Colorful Side of Candy
Distribution advantages make it a great fit for summertime promotions – and year-round fun.
Sales of non-chocolate candy as tracked by Information Resources
Inc. dipped a negligible 0.7 percent in 2003.
According to ACNielsen Strategic Planner data, the percentage
of non-chocolate candy receiving feature or display treatment was down 0.3 percent
in 2003, so now may be the time to give non-chocolate some extra attention.
The Imperatives
Because most non-chocolate products don’t
require the degree of climate control that chocolate does, this category
affords excellent opportunities to get creative with summertime promotions.
The proliferation of red, white and blue confections makes July 4th an
ideal time to encourage shoppers to think beyond the traditional chocolate
bars for campfire S’mores.
Many retailers are reporting success with summertime
“candy carnival events,” and non-chocolate can play a major
role here. Its color and product variety make non-chocolate a natural
visual merchandising tool. So tap into that “eye candy” aspect
to generate excitement at locations throughout the store. Work with vendors
to create “to go” packs, perhaps sours or gummies in a kid-size
plastic cup.
How about a vendor-supported promotion where candy is
linked to fitness and outdoor fun? Perhaps a camping out display that shows
off candy in a canoe or an in-store sweepstakes that offers the chance to
win a mountain bike.
And don’t neglect the non-chocolate during seasonal sales
periods because 19 percent of non-chocolate sales are of seasonal products,
according to a report from the market research firm Packaged Facts.
Outlook
With products for every age group and taste preference, a perception
of relative healthfulness, and a long list of sub-segments, opportunities to
pump up non-chocolate sales aren’t hard to find. Packaged Facts predicts
that the overall market will reach $6.9 billion by 2007.
| 2003 Non-Chocolate Sales By Selected Segments* | ||||
| Segment | $ Sales (in millions) |
% Change vs. Year Ago |
unit sales (in millions) |
% Change vs. Year Ago |
| Hard Sugar Candy/ Pkg and Roll Candy |
$318.5 |
-5.6% |
234.0 |
-11.9% |
| Licorice Box/Bag > 3.5 oz. | $153.4 |
-1.4% |
103.7 |
-4.9% |
| Non-Chocolate Chewy Candy | $659.4 |
+1.3% |
587.4 |
-2.0% |
| Novelty Non-Chocolate Candy |
$270.8 |
-1.3% |
271.5 |
-5.5% |
| Plain Mints | $123.9 |
-8.9% |
100.2 |
-10.5% |
| *In food, drug and mass merchandisers, excluding Wal-Mart. Source: Information Resources Inc. | ||||
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