UK: New chocolate confectionery market stats

London / UK. (mi) Cannot resist? Just five percent of Brits have not eaten chocolate in the past six months, Mintel research said in its latest stats from an upcoming U.K. chocolate confectionery report.

• A third (31 percent) of Brits have eaten seasonal chocolates in the past six months, meanwhile, slightly less (a quarter or 26 percent) have bought these seasonal treats.
• Milk is top of the chocs, with 57 percent of British chocolate eaters having eaten milk chocolate in the past six months. Dark is a favourite for one in four (23 percent) Brits, while just seven percent opt for the white variety.
• Dark chocolate leave a bitter taste in your mouth? One in five British chocolate eaters (20 percent) claim that they do not like the flavour of dark chocolate. And it is the over-55s who are much more likely to prefer dark – with 38 percent of chocolate eaters in this age group claiming to, compared with just 16 percent of under-34s.
• A healthy debate – four in ten (40 percent) British choc eaters believe dark is healthier than milk or white and 16 percent look for chocolate with higher cocoa content.
• For 13 percent of British chocolate eaters any chocolate will do, as 13 percent have no preference over flavour.
• Looking for something a bit more adventurous? Some 22 percent of British chocolate eaters look for exciting flavours such as chilli or wasabi in their chocolate.
• Individual chocolate bars are the nation´s favourite chocs, eaten by 72 percent of Brits in the past six months.
• Half (49 percent) of all female chocolate eaters eat chocolate as a comfort food compared with just one in three (33 percent) men.

Price

Price is the number one factor when buying chocolate for 65 percent of British chocolate eaters and half (50 percent) claim to buy chocolate on promotion. High prices are a barrier for almost a quarter of British choc eaters – almost a quarter (22 percent) say they would eat more chocolate if it was less expensive and a third (32 percent) say tray chocolates are not good value for money.

Health

Less than a quarter (22 percent) of choc eaters look for healthier chocolate choices while slightly more (24 percent) say eating chocolate makes them feel guilty. Almost a third (32 percent) say they would like to see more chocolate with added health benefits, but low calorie is a priority for just twelve percent.

Ethical

While almost three in ten (28 percent) choc eaters say it is worth paying more for ethically sourced chocolate – just 14 percent look for ethically sourced (Fairtrade) chocolate and as many as 15 percent of UK chocolate eaters claim to not trust ethical (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance) claims on chocolate.

What would the reaction be if …

What would the reaction from consumers be if their favourite chocolate increased in price? Over half (54 percent) would still buy but less often, a quarter (24 percent) would not change buying at all, 15 percent would switch to a less expensive brand and just four percent would stop buying altogether.