Many consumers prefer Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs over the brand’s traditional cup format—it boasts more peanut butter, for one, but the seasonal confection is also only available for a limited time. This scarcity has helped seasonal chocolate launches to account for 25% of 2016’s total global new chocolate product launches, with 28% aimed at Easter alone, according to Mintel.
In a year of slow confectionery launch activity (just three percent), chocolate gifts still made up 49 percent of Easter purchases in the U.K. in 2016. The majority of new Easter chocolate launches came from Brazil holding 14 percent of 2016’s global share, followed by France (11 percent) and South Africa (10 percent).
It’s Reigning Chocolate
The U.S. consumed 1.3 million metric tons of chocolate in 2016, leading volume sales ahead of Russia with 979 thousand metric tons, Germany with 680 metric tons and the U.K. with 555 thousand metric tons.
“In countries where Easter is celebrated, there has been a broad range of new chocolate products coming to market. Easter egg innovation is especially interesting as manufacturers experiment with a range of products, from sweet to savory. In 2016, the U.K. market saw growth in Easter treats in terms of both volume and value; however, value growth was highest, suggesting consumers may be investing in slightly more premium chocolate products as brands increasingly expand their offer,” said Marcia Mogelonsky, director of insight, Mintel food and drink.
