Italy Sugar Confectionery Market Research Report, 2027

The first sugarcane plant was by the Arabs in Sicily and Andalusia. Sugar was already being used in Cyprus and Crete and Venice became Europe’s largest supplier of sugar. Sugar was mainly used to make confectionery products like spices or dried fruits (cloves, ginger, coriander seeds, etc.) were dipped in sugar syrup and cooked in large pans until thickened. These candies were considered to aid digestion and it was a ritual to serve them after meals. They carried a bag of these sweets wherever they went and hence was called “Epices de Chambre”. During the 15th century, the Venetians were famous confectioners as their created masterpieces with sugar decorations and offered to prominent people. Earlier pharmacists used to sweeten the bitter taste of potions with sugar to an infinite variety of confectionery products like candies and pastilles (hard, soft, filled and gummy candies, fruit jellies, marron glacés, nougat, confetti). Today many producers have introduced new lines of products to their traditional products, replacing sugar with reduced calorie sweeteners.

According to the report titled "Italy Confectionary Market Research Report, 2027", published by Actual Market Research, the market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of more than 1.41% over the forecast period. Chewy, novelty and hard boiled sweets form together for nearly 60% of market share. Consumers usually buy confectioneries from supermarkets, hypermarkets or nearby convenience stores in Italy. But, with the rise in online shopping, e-commerce is expected to be popular buying portal over the future years. Adults prefer more of non-chocolate candies as against kids. Adults fall far tingling, hot, cold sensations that these candies offer; while kids usually for taste and shape as they are more fascinating. Candies with layers of creamy fondant that burst into sugar crystals wrapped in a gummy coating, creates excitement. Consumers are lured by their colour & texture appeal to purchase but they look for products that are lower on sugar levels. Hence, sugar-free candy is expected to grow rapidly over the forecast period. Consumers are lately being conservative due to high child obesity rates and limiting their sugar confectionery purchases.

Liquorice is mainly harvested in Calabria in Italy. In 1715, factories were opened to process the roots of the plants that grew spontaneously on the plains in the province of Cosenza. In the 19th century significant amount of liquorice was exported to France and England. The companies are now focused on products enriched with minerals, vitamins and other functional ingredients rather than classic mints, or its standard or power versions. Sugar confectionery fulfils consumer needs such as sensory delight, personal & experiential rewards, treats, comfort and sharing, bonding, socializing, and of course fun breaks.

At present, the production of sugar-free confectionery has been the most trending. Originally they were launched for dietary purposes, but now it has evolved into protecting teeth and gums. The research & development teams of companies are engaged in a continuous activity to bring in substitutes to sugar. Sugar-free sweets guarantee a lower calorie intake and do not stick to the teeth. Chewing gum after meals and snacks helps keep the teeth clean when it is not possible to use a toothbrush. Chewing in fact stimulates salivation, which has a cleansing action and helps remove food residue, as does the mechanical action of the gum. Consumers growing health concerns of sugar consumption, and its association with obesity and diabetes, make the body more vulnerable to other illnesses and diseases is propelling the sugar-free confectionery.

The traditional Italian candies are very distinct from American or European counterparts as they feature unique varieties. The distinct flavours of anise, licorice, limoncello, and glacial mint set them apart from the rest. While hard candies are a perennial favourite, soft textured candies are becoming more popular. The soft textured candies are individually wrapped and have a caramel-like texture, or a gummy, gel-like texture with delicious fruit flavours. One notable Italian candy that does not fall into these major categories is candied fruit, which is made by soaking small fruit pieces or peels in a sugar syrup. This method of fruit preservation is practised in Europe since the 16th century and is still used for making Italian desserts such as panettone and cannoli.

Sugar confectionery has been in decline due to the increasing awareness of the effects of sugar consumption on consumer health. However, with the rise in impulse buying is expected to recover the market over the forecast period. The companies are bringing new developments in taste & flavours to stay on the shelf. The future market demands for innovations and strategies to develop new tastes and functional properties to increase its demand.

Italian candy brands such as are Chupa chups, Alpenliebe, Morosiats, Amarelli, Golia, Sperlari, and Perugina are immensely popular. Perfetti Van Melle, Nestle, Fererro, Mars, Wrigley, Barry Callebaut, Leaf Italia, Alfred Ritter, Haribo are some of the major players. Amarelli specializes in liquorice candy, which is producing confectionery ever since 1500! It offers liquorice mints, soft candies, and hard candies with their traditional liquorice recipe. Other liquorice candy are Gommose Morbide alla Liquirizia, which are individually wrapped and have scent of eucalyptus added. Perugina Caramelle Rossana is another savoured candy in Italy that has a delicious eggnog flavored center.

COVID-19's Impact
Lockdowns across the globe in 2020 and continuing restrictions in 2021 disrupted the supply chain, posing challenges for manufacturers in the sugar confectionery market. In 2020, the pandemic outbreak deteriorated the category’s performance due to a reduction in impulse purchases amongst consumers. As Italian consumers were looking to minimise the time and money spent in store, they focused on buying the essentials. Sugar confectionery is not an essential and thus was not considered a priority. People tend to look for familiarity and affordable pleasures in times of crisis. That offers brands the opportunity to recapture consumers they may have lost and to gain new fans through great-tasting, fun products that also have functional benefits and better-for-you claims. Intense competition, pricing issues, and shifting consumer preferences will continue to put downward pressure on vendors’ profit margins.

Considered in this report

•    Geography: Italy
•    Historic year: 2016
•    Base year: 2021
•    Estimated year: 2022
•    Forecast year: 2027

Aspects covered in this report

•    Italy Sugar Confectionery market with its value and forecast along with its segments
•    Various drivers and challenges
•    On-going trends and developments
•    Top profiled companies
•    Strategic recommendation

By product type in the report:

•    Hard boiled sweets
•    Plain Mints
•    Caramel/Taffy
•    Chewy
•    Novelty
•    Liquorice
•    Sugar-free
•    Others (Nut, coconut, marshmallows, fudges, medicated throat lozenges)

By sales channel in the report:

•    Supermarkets/ hypermarkets
•    Convenience stores
•    Pharmacy & drug stores
•    E-commerce retailers
•    Others 

By age group in the report:

•    Children (1-20 yrs)
•    Adult (21-55 yrs)
•    Geriatric (56 & above)

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources. 

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to sugar confectionery industry, chocolate industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.

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