Chocolate sales rise
According to market research company Mintel, chocolate sales have risen around the world despite the recession.
China saw chocolate confectionery sales jump 18% this year, while in the Ukraine sales rose 12%. In the UK, sales of chocolate increased 5.9% in 2009 whike consumers in the US bought 2.6% more chocolate this year than last.
“Chocolate is a small, affordable indulgence for shoppers who are cutting back on spending elsewhere. Even in countries not known for chocolate consumption, sales are on the rise,” says Marcia Mogelonsky, global food and drink analyst at Mintel.
Sales per capita stands at $55 (€38.4) in the US and $106 (€74.1) in the UK but those figures pale in comparison to Switzerland where people buy chocolate worth $206 (€144) a year.
