Chocolate leads in Italian market

The Italian confectionery market has been forecast to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.63% over the next five years, increasing from a value of just under EUR 4.5 billion at the start of 2012, to reach about €4.82 billion in 2017.

Italy is the fourth largest market in Western Europe, with close to one tenth of the region’s total confectionery consumption.
In terms of categories, ‘chocolate’ is forecast to continue as the largest sector in the industry, and will be valued at around €2.8 billion by 2017.

Italian consumers are fond of chocolate confectionery products. Despite the economic crisis that has affected many packaged food categories, Italian consumers are showing a tendency not to renounce these indulgent products.
According to the new report ‘The Future of the Confectionery Market in Italy to 2017’, Ferrero is still the leading player in chocolate confectionery, accounting for a 33% value share in 2012. This well-known company, with its vast brand portfolio of popular products such as Kinder and Ferrero Rocher, Pocket Coffee, etc. is followed by Nestlé Italiana and Lindt & Sprüngli, which rank second and third.

The second largest category, ‘sugar confectionery’ will be worth around €1.2 billion by 2017. The increasing concern about health issues, about obesity and diabetes are not favouring sugar confectionery consumption and demand for these products has been decreasing.

Perfetti Van Melle and Leaf Italia, together accounted for 53% of total value sales in 2012, are the two leading players in sugar confectionery in Italy. These two companies, with their vast brand portfolios, which include Morositas, Golia, Tabù Fruit-tella, Alpenliebe, Frisk and Mentos (Perfetti brands) and Galatine, Dietorelle, Sperlari, Saila and Re Sole (Leaf Italia brands), have been able to remain leaders of this market.

The fastest growing category is suggested to be ‘gum’, which will grow at a CAGR growth rate of over 1.38% between 2012 and 2017.