'Adapting brands, savvy retailers push sales of chocolate, confectionery'

Major brands selling non-HFSS compliant products have seen an average sales increase of 27 per cent across supermarkets since HFSS-restrictions came into place about a year ago, states a recent report, saying brands have demonstrated real skill in adapting to legislation while retailers too have been savvy with their promotion to retain customer loyalty.

According to a report by Reapp, sales of chilled desserts such as ice creams, cakes and yoghurts rocketed 75 per cent in volume since October 2022 – equating to an extra £3.8 million worth in sales value. Chocolate sales banked an additional £50 million in the last year, seeing an average increase of more than half a million units sold each month, reaching just under 16 million total chocolates sold since October.

The HFSS (high fat, sugar and salt) laws introduced in October 2022, required supermarkets to move all products with high fat, sugar and salt content to the back of stores – in a bid to encourage Brits to cut down on unhealthy treats.

Nevertheless selected brands have skillfully adapted to the legislation to deliver growth across chocolate, sweets and chilled desserts with increases in average sales volume and value since the introduction of the legislation.

Sweets saw sales increase to over 2 million units since the laws came into force, as an extra 100,000 units were sold per month across major supermarkets. Even price hikes can’t hold Brit’s back from their sugary craving, as an average price inflation of 9 per cent occurred across key snacking categories since last October.

On the contrary, healthy products such as snack bars didn’t see any noticeable change in sales since the laws, with a less than 1 per cent sales increase since last year.

Commenting on the report's findings, James Lamplugh, Reapp commercial director, said, “Looking back on the first year of HFSS legislation, our latest in-depth analysis shows flavour, taste and experience unequivocally remain the top factors in understanding what drives consumer trends.

“Brands have demonstrated real skill in adapting to legislation to deliver growth. Retailers too have been savvy with their promotion to retain customer loyalty.

“Not only this, with inflation and the cost of living crisis being huge factors in our lives, consumers found themselves staying at home more, driving the ‘Big Night In’ trend where we see shoppers treating themselves to little luxuries such as chocolate and confectionery.”