chocolate bars

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Sixty per cent of Brits buy branded chocolate and sweets

Most British shoppers still buy branded confectionery and crisps, despite the cost of living crisis influencing a trend of trading down to own-label grocery items in other categories.

A survey of 2,000 adults conducted by YouGov for The Grocer this month found that 60% Brits bought branded chocolate and sweets, with only 26% of shoppers choosing own label [13 March 2023].

Nine per cent of shoppers did not buy chocolate or sweets at all, according to the survey, while 5% said they did not know whether they bought own-label or branded confectionery.

Half of the shoppers (50%) surveyed bought branded crisps, compared with just over one-third (37%) who bought own-label alternatives.

One in 10 (10%) Brits said they did not know whether they bought branded or own-label crisps, while 3% did not buy them at all.

By contrast, most shoppers bought own-label eggs (68%) and medicines (76%) – such as paracetamol and aspirin – over branded alternatives.

Speaking to The Grocer last year, Lily O’Brien’s marketing director Evelyn McLoughlin said “affordable indulgence” would “continue to shape” the confectionery category, after the posh gifting brand saw value sales grow by 7% on units up 6% [NIQ 52 w/e 10 September 2022].

“Shoppers will gravitate towards products that offer comfort, joy and luxury at an attractive price point,” she said.