Studies from German-based BDSI trade group show consumers still value regular treats
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A fresh study from Germany’s BDSI confectionery trade association has examined consumer preferences around confectionery, finding that sweets and snacks are equally well loved across age groups, reports Neill Barston.
While demand for confectionery remains significantly high within the country, as well as wider global markets, pressures on domestic manufacturers have continued to mount.
As previously reported by Confectionery Production, 2024 proved a challenging year for the industry in Germany, with more than 200 core companies engaged in the manufacturing side of the business experiencing drastic increases in the costs of raw materials, energy and personnel and a flood of new bureaucratic requirements “that are increasingly suffocating companies.”
Moreover, there was considerable concern expressed by the industry body over the fact there had been a significant decline in production volumes in Germany, with economic conditions not anticipated to improve for the export sector in the short to medium term.
However, the latest study from the BDSI offered some sense of hope, with its findings observing that sweets and snacks are among the little joys of everyday life that are consistently valued.
But do they mainly delight children or adults? As the organisation found, preferences for individual products are as different as the people themselves, but Germans largely agree on one thing: confectionery is “equally for young and old”. This is stated by 91% of the 1,052 respondents. 5% rate sweets as “more for adults” and also 5% as “more for children”. Deviations from 100% are due to rounding.
The Germans also come to a similar assessment when it comes to other snack food categories. The salty treats such as potato chips, nuts or peanut flips are “for young and old alike,” believed 83% of those surveyed. The answer “Nibbles are more for adults” was chosen by 14%. Only 2% of those surveyed chose the statement “Nibbles are more for children,” underlining the universal appeal of the broader confectionery market.
