Health is on everyone’s mind these days. And many consumers have channeled their focus on health into their food choices.

Premium chocolate producers continue to innovate within the truffles, pralines and filled chocolates category while gift box chocolate sales have dipped overall.

While COVID-19 has made the process for launching new products a little different, that hasn’t stopped brands from putting out new confectionery items that offer a bright spot during these tumultuous times.

While the chewy candy category continues to grow, U.S. sales for hard candy — driven by lollipops and sugar-free options — are seeing declines.

Overall, the chewing gum category continues to see declines in both dollar sales and unit sales, but these drops could be exacerbated by consumers staying home during lockdowns prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

There’s no way to write about the State of the Confectionery industry without leading with COVID-19. The global pandemic hit the U.S. in early 2020, and it’s had a massive impact on the country and the global economy.