2025
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UK Chocolate Confectionery Market Report 2025
2025-09-23T14:02:22+00:00
REP9AF5144B_FDFA_4F97_99DF_EBA47AD658CB
2995
187046
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Report
en_GB
Most people would still sacrifice quantity for quality when eating chocolate, which has helped insulate brands from cutbacks amid rising prices driven by the soaring cost of cocoa.
UK
Chocolate Confectionery
simple

UK Chocolate Confectionery Market Report 2025

"Premium opportunities endure in chocolate despite price rises. Added premium ingredients, mindful eating and positioning chocolate as a dessert warrant exploring."

Richard Caines, Principal Analyst, UK Food & Drink Research

Richard Caines, Principal Analyst, UK Food & Drink Research

UK Chocolate Industry – Trends and Insights

  • Most people are willing to sacrifice quantity for quality when eating chocolate, which has helped insulate brands from cutbacks despite rising cocoa prices. 61% of chocolate users view premium chocolate as an affordable luxury, even among those under financial pressure.
  • Premium branded chocolate continues to benefit from its positioning as an affordable luxury. However, the strain on household budgets creates an opportunity for premium own-label products to attract buyers by replicating the premium attributes of established brands.
  • To fend off competition from premium own-label products, brands must focus on being seen as inimitable. A unique flavour is a key differentiator for 35% of chocolate eaters, highlighting the importance of innovation in taste profiles.
  • Adding premium ingredients offers significant potential for differentiation, with 68% of chocolate users finding a bar from their favourite brand with such ingredients appealing. This underscores the value of enhancing product offerings to maintain loyalty.
  • By emphasising uniqueness and premium qualities, brands can strengthen their appeal and maintain their position in the market, even as financial pressures drive consumers to consider exploring alternative options.

Key Topics Analysed in the Report

  • Performance of the market, with chocolate prices still increasing steeply amid the soaring cocoa costs
  • Key trends in recent launch activity and future product development opportunities
  • Frequency of eating chocolate, types eaten and importance of different occasions, including breaks and having chocolate instead of a dessert
  • The importance of emotional drivers over functional needs in triggering the eating of chocolate
  • Attributes encouraging the trying of a new chocolate product, including different chocolate type and texture combinations, and new flavours
  • How premium opportunities endure in chocolate despite the rise in chocolate prices

Report AttributesDetails
Published DateSeptember 2025
Report AuthorRichard Caines, Principal Analyst, UK Food & Drink Research
Data Range2019-2030
Measurement MetricsRevenue in £
Country FocusUnited Kingdom (UK)
Consumer Data2,000 internet users aged 16+, July 2025
Number of Pages93
Market SegmentationBite-size/pouch chocolate, Block chocolate, Multi-pack chocolate countlines/bars, Single pack chocolate countlines/bars, Seasonal and gifting confectionery
Leading Companies in the UK Chocolate MarketMondelēz, Mars Wrigley, Nestlé, Ferrerro, Lindt & Sprüngli, The Hershey Company

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • Opportunities for the chocolate confectionery market
    • Dessert flavours hold further potential for chocolate brands
    • Mindful eating positioning fits with the ‘less but better’ preference in chocolate
    • Exploring more added premium ingredients offers a route for brands to stand out
    • Market dynamics and outlook
    • Market size & forecast
    • Market predictions
    • Sales forecast to reach £10.3 billion by 2030
    • Graph 1: [no title]
    • Mixed performances for different segments of the chocolate market
    • MondelÄ“z is the biggest UK chocolate manufacturer, but own-label gains
    • Graph 2: leading manufacturers’ sales in the chocolate confectionery market, by value, 2022/23-24/25
    • Steep price rises continue for chocolate in 2025
    • Graph 3: consumer price inflation for chocolate and all food, 2022-25
    • HFSS advertising restrictions delayed until January 2026
    • What consumers want and why
    • Frequency of eating chocolate slips back
    • Graph 4: frequency of eating chocolate, 2021-25
    • Sharp fall in large chocolate blocks
    • Graph 5: types of chocolate eaten, 2023-25
    • Eating chocolate is emotionally driven
    • Graph 6: reasons for eating chocolate, 2025
    • New varieties are an important part of tempting chocolate buyers
    • Graph 7: attributes that would encourage the trying of a new chocolate product, 2025
    • Premium opportunities endure in chocolate despite price rises
    • Graph 8: selected behaviours related to premium chocolate and price, 2025
    • Innovation and marketing
    • Flurry of launches with pistachios on back of Dubai chocolate trend
    • Seasonal launches include Cadbury launching colour-changing summer wrapping
    • Top five manufacturers dominate chocolate advertising
  2. MARKET DYNAMICS

    • Market size
    • Flat volume sales of chocolate in 2025
    • Graph 9: retail market size for chocolate, by volume, 2020-25
    • Steep price rises drive double-digit value sales growth
    • Graph 10: retail market size for chocolate, by value, 2020-25
    • Market forecast
    • Slow growth predicted in volume sales
    • Graph 11: [no title]
    • Price rises to drive continuous value growth
    • Graph 12: [no title]
    • Sales forecast to reach £10.3 billion by 2030
    • Market segmentation
    • Mixed performances for different segments of the chocolate market
    • Decline in volume sales of chocolate blocks and bars
    • Graph 13: retail value sales of chocolate, by segment, 2023-25
    • Graph 14: retail volume sales of chocolate, by segment, 2023-25
    • Market share
    • MondelÄ“z is the biggest UK chocolate manufacturer, but own-label gaining
    • Graph 15: leading manufacturers’ sales in the chocolate confectionery market, by value, 2022/23-24/25
    • Leading brands Cadbury Dairy Milk and Galaxy lose share in block chocolate
    • New entrants KitKat and Cadbury Crème Egg boost share for other brands in block chocolate
    • Graph 16: leading brands’ sales in the block chocolate market, by value, 2022/23-24/25
    • Mixed fortunes for brands that dominate in chocolate countlines/bars, but few grow volumes
    • Chocolate countlines/bars a fragmented segment
    • Graph 17: leading brands’ sales in the chocolate countlines/bars market, by value, 2022/23-24/25
    • Maltesers leads in bite-sized and seasonal chocolate
    • Fragmented market for bite-sized and gifting/seasonal chocolate
    • Graph 18: leading brands’ sales in the bite-size/gifting/seasonal chocolate market, by value, 2022/23-24/25
    • Market drivers
    • Only one in three see their finances as ‘healthy’ and are confident for year ahead
    • Graph 19: financial wellbeing and confidence indices, 2019-25
    • Steep price rises continue for chocolate in 2025
    • Graph 20: consumer price inflation for chocolate and all food, 2022-25
    • Strong consumer interest in healthy eating leaves room for treats
    • Graph 21: how often people try to eat healthily, 2018-25
    • HFSS advertising restrictions delayed until January 2026
    • HFSS is defined by nutrient profile
    • Highly processed foods under scrutiny
    • Spotlight on blood sugar is bad news for chocolate
    • Population growth to buoy demand for chocolate
    • Graph 22: population, by age, 2020, 2025 and 2030
    • Increase in number of young adults and over-65s, but fewer children
  3. WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY

    • Eating of chocolate
    • More than nine in 10 people eat chocolate
    • Frequency of eating chocolate slips back
    • Graph 23: frequency of eating chocolate, 2021-25
    • Younger people eat chocolate more frequently
    • Frequency of eating chocolate declines with age
    • Graph 24: frequency of eating chocolate, by age, 2025
    • Sharp fall in large chocolate blocks
    • Graph 25: types of chocolate eaten, 2023-25
    • Reasons for eating chocolate
    • Emotional triggers drive chocolate eating
    • Eating chocolate is emotionally driven
    • Graph 26: reasons for eating chocolate, 2025
    • Keep aligning with moments of relaxing/unwinding
    • KitKat’s Break Better campaign
    • Amplify the sensory experience of chocolate moments
    • Highlight texture variety and taste experience
    • Mindful eating fits with ‘less but better’ preference in chocolate
    • Functional needs prompt many younger people to reach for chocolate
    • Graph 27: selected reasons for eating chocolate, by age, 2025
    • Opportunity for chocolate to compete more with energy bars and drinks
    • International chocolates highlight caffeine and energy
    • Caffeine sparks mixed feelings
    • Interest in product concepts in chocolate
    • Strong demand for more chocolate innovation
    • New varieties are an important part of tempting chocolate buyers
    • Graph 28: attributes that would encourage the trying of a new chocolate product, 2025
    • In-store visibility for new launches will become more important
    • Social media will play a bigger role for chocolate brands
    • Strong appetite for new flavours in chocolate
    • Dessert flavours hold further potential for chocolate brands
    • Locate premium chocolate alongside premium ready meals
    • Protein holds more potential for chocolate
    • International products look to milk and soy protein, protein crispies and nuts
    • ‘Permissible treat’ protein bars boom
    • Behaviours related to eating and buying chocolate
    • Strong demand for premium chocolate
    • Premium opportunities endure in chocolate despite price rises
    • Graph 29: selected behaviours related to premium chocolate and price, 2025
    • ‘Less but better’ mentality supports premium chocolate sales
    • Premium own-label can tempt more buyers away from brands
    • Added premium ingredients offer a route for brands to stand out
    • Mr Kipling and McVitie’s offer cues on launching premium sub-brands
    • Cadbury Dairy Milk & More dialled up indulgence for an elevated proposition
    • Eating experience is crucial to the growth of chocolate alternatives
    • Candy Kittens embraces sunflower seeds for chocolate alternative
    • Carob ingredients hold potential as cocoa alternatives
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS

    • Launch activity and innovation
    • New varieties/range extensions dominate new launches
    • Graph 30: share of new launches in chocolate confectionery, by launch type*, 2020-25
    • Unflavoured/plain chocolates lose share of launches
    • Graph 31: share of new launches in chocolate confectionery that are unflavoured/plain, 2020-25
    • Big increase in use of pistachio on back of Dubai chocolate trend
    • Graph 32: share of new launches in chocolate confectionery, by top six flavour components*, 2020-25
    • Flurry of launches with pistachios on back of Dubai chocolate trend
    • Cadbury launches colour-changing summer wrapping and Biscoff variant
    • KitKat moves into block chocolate and collaborates with Nescafé
    • More limited edition launches in chocolate
    • Seasonal launches remain a key focus in chocolate NPD
    • Graph 33: share of new launches in chocolate confectionery with seasonal and premium positionings, 2020-25
    • Premium seasonal launches explored dessert and cocktail flavours
    • Continuing stream of vegan chocolate launches
    • Graph 34: share of new launches in chocolate confectionery making vegan/no animal ingredients, dairy-free and plant-based claims, 2020-25
    • More choice of flavours from vegan chocolate brands
    • McVitie’s moves into the chocolate aisle
    • Advertising and marketing activity
    • Ad spend on chocolate increases by 19% in 2024
    • Graph 35: above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on chocolate, 2021-25
    • MondelÄ“z and Mars Wrigley boosts ad spend
    • Graph 36: above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on chocolate, by advertiser, 2021-25
    • MondelÄ“z supports Cadbury’s brand building campaigns
    • Cadbury’s ‘Memory’ TV advert
    • Cadbury spotlights everyday generosity
    • Chocolate brands spotlight eating experiences
    • Mars Wrigley boosts 2024 ad spend for Twix, M&Ms and Snickers
    • Chocolate brands champion sports
    • KitKat continues the ‘Break Better’ message
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market share
    • Block chocolate – value brand sales
    • Block chocolate – value brand sales (continued)
    • Block chocolate – volume brand sales
    • Block chocolate – manufacturer value sales
    • Block chocolate – manufacturer volume sales
    • Chocolate countlines/bars – brand value sales
    • Chocolate countlines/bars – brand value sales (continued)
    • Chocolate countlines/bars – brand volume sales
    • Chocolate countlines/bars – brand volume sales (continued)
    • Chocolate countlines/bars – manufacturer value sales
    • Chocolate countlines/bars – manufacturer volume sales
    • Bite-size, gifting and seasonal chocolate – brand value sales
    • Bite-size, gifting and seasonal chocolate – brand value sales (continued)
    • Bite-size, gifting and seasonal chocolate – brand volume sales
    • Bite-size, gifting and seasonal chocolate – brand volume sales (continued)
    • Bite-size/gifting/seasonal chocolate – manufacturer value sales
    • Bite-size/gifting/seasonal chocolate – manufacturer volume sales
    • Advertising and marketing activity
    • Main media advertising by media type
    • Main media advertising by advertiser
    • Market forecast data and methodology
    • Value market size and forecast
    • Volume market size and forecast
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals (volume)
    • Forecast methodology
    • Report scope and definitions
    • Market definition
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Nielsen Ad Intel coverage

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