Chocolate confectionery products are among the most traditional and popular types of candy in the world.

For Asian consumers, chocolate is still an exotic product and therefore its consumption level is relatively low. However, this perception of these products determines the popularity of chocolate confectionery as a gift. As a result, demand for categories such as boxed chocolate and packaged chocolate confectionery in the mid-to-high price range is most stable in Asian countries.

The European region is the leader in the consumption of chocolate confectionery products. Consumer concerns about their health are driving demand for dark chocolate, chocolate with natural additives such as fruits and nuts, and low-sugar and low-fat products.

Premium chocolate confectionery products (handmade, using high quality and unique ingredients) are popular in many countries in the region. The most popular are bars and packaged chocolate candies. For many consumers, the origin of the cocoa beans is important, as well as whether the finished product complies with ethical production principles.

In North America, consumption of chocolate confectionery products is traditionally high. Demand for quality chocolate has increased in the market due to the population's increased purchasing power and aggressive marketing and advertising campaigns.

Awareness of health risks has led consumers to turn to chocolate confectionery products with low sugar content, as well as dark chocolate (without the addition of milk with a cocoa content of more than 60%). The popularity of various healthy diets in American society influences the dynamics of the confectionery market. At the same time, despite the sugar and fat content, many consumers still consider chocolate confectionery products as part of their balanced diet, even under strict dietary conditions.

The dynamics of the chocolate confectionery market largely depends on the price situation of cocoa beans, the main raw material for chocolate production. More than half of the world's cocoa beans are produced in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Indonesia, Ecuador and Cameroon are also among the five leading countries in the production of these products.

In 2023, severe weather conditions in West Africa led to a decrease in cocoa bean exports from producing countries and an increase in production costs for European companies, the main buyers of raw materials. The shortage of cocoa beans has led to an increase in the cost of chocolate products, negatively impacting their consumption growth rate.

The main consumption of chocolate confectionery products is chocolate bars and chocolate candies, whose shares are 30.3% and 29.6%, respectively, in 2022. Packaged chocolate confectionery products (18.8%) and boxed chocolates (11.9%) are also popular. Seasonal chocolate sets and chocolate candies with toys accounted for 7.0% and 1.1%, respectively, in 2022.

Packaged chocolate bars and chocolate candies also lead the global chocolate confectionery product sales mix (27.0% and 24.0% in 2022, respectively). Boxed and packaged chocolate candies accounted for 17.9% and 15.6% of sales, while seasonal candy sets and chocolate candies with toys accounted for 11.1% and 3.5% of sales, respectively.

The most popular packaged chocolate bars are sandwich chocolate (nuts, raisins, etc.), as well as milk chocolate, which accounted for about 75% of total sales of such chocolate confectionery in 2022. Dark chocolate and white chocolate accounted for the remaining 20% and 5% respectively, with Europe leading the world in terms of consumption of chocolate confectionery products. In 2022, the region accounted for approximately 51.9% of consumption. Europe is also the largest processor of cocoa beans and a leading producer of chocolate confectionery products. Many European countries, mainly Switzerland and Germany, have one of the highest per capita chocolate consumption. The popularity of chocolate confectionery products in the region is attributed to the established consumer culture of such products, as well as the high level of well-being of citizens, which stimulates the consumption of high-end products.

Import of Chocolate Confectionery Products

In 2022, global imports of chocolate confectionery products amounted to 6.9 million tons, valued at $33.8 billion. Compared to 2022, this indicator increased by 4.3% in volume and 4.4% in value, reaching the highest value in the last 5 years.

By the end of 2022, the largest importer of chocolate confectionery products was the United States, which bought 746 thousand tons of such products (10.8% of world imports). France and the United Kingdom imported 546,800 tons (7.9%) and 535,700 tons (7.8%) of chocolate confectionery products, respectively. Germany (7.7%) and the Netherlands (5.0%) also made it into the top five importing countries. Overall, the top 10 countries accounted for 55.0% of global imports of chocolate confectionery.

The largest increases in imports of chocolate confectionery products from 2018-2022 were recorded in the United States (+19.3% or +120,900 tons), France (+20.5% or +92,900 tons), the United Kingdom (+19.2% or +86,500 tons) and Belgium (+45.9% or +83,700 tons).

The largest importer of chocolate confectionery by value in 2022 was the United States, purchasing $3.8 billion worth of product (11.3% of global imports). The top five importers by value also include the UK (7.8%), Germany (7.8%), France (7.1%) and the Netherlands (4.7%).

Russia ranked ninth, with purchases of $751.6 million, accounting for 2.2% of global imports of chocolate confectionery products.

In total, the top 10 countries accounted for 52.6% of global imports of chocolate confectionery products by value.

The most significant growth in imports of chocolate confectionery products in 2018-2022 will be in the United States (+39.5%, or +$1.1 billion) and the United Kingdom (+24.4%, or +$520.5 million). Purchases of chocolate confectionery products in Russia grew by 41.2% (+$219.3 million) over the same period.

Exports of Chocolate Confectionery Products

In 2022, global exports of chocolate confectionery products amounted to 6.8 million tons, valued at $33.8 billion. Compared to 2021, this indicator increased by 1.4% in volume and 2.9% in value. From 2018 to 2022, global exports of chocolate confectionery products grew at an average annual rate of 3.1% in volume and 4.0% in value.

The global chocolate confectionery export structure in 2022 is dominated by Germany (14.8%), Belgium (8.7%), the Netherlands (7.0%), Poland (6.7%), and Canada (6.2%) - total exports total approximately 3 million tons for these five countries (accounting for global chocolate confectionery product (43.4% of global chocolate confectionery exports). In total, the top 10 chocolate confectionery exporters accounted for 66.0% (4.5 million tons) of world exports.

In 2018-2022, all major exporting countries, with the exception of Russia, managed to increase their export supply. The largest increases were recorded in Germany (+11.9%, +107,600 tons), Poland (+25.4%, +92,200 tons) and Italy (+27.6%, +89,300 tons).

Germany holds the major share (16.8%) in the value structure of chocolate confectionery exports in 2022. The top five exporting countries also include Belgium (8.3%), Italy (7.2%), Poland (7.0%) and the Netherlands (6.6%). The top 10 countries supplying chocolate confectionery products together account for 66.8% of world exports in 2022.

Exports grew significantly from 2018-2022 in Poland (+35.8%, or +$621.9 million), Canada (+36.6%, or +$527.4 million) and Germany (+9.1%, or +$474.7 million)).

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