Publishing: 30 September
Advertising deadline: 13 September
Submissions deadline: 8 September
Overview
Confectionery is under fire from all sides. In the past year alone, the British Medical Association has called for a minimum price to be imposed on sweets and chocolate, lobby group Action on Sugar has proposed for the soft drinks sugar levy to be extended to confectionery and confectioners have been banned from advertising online against content aimed at kids.
How is all this affecting sales? How are retailers and manufacturers responding? What evidence is there from overseas that these and other proposals will help reduce obesity and improve the health of the nation? We’ll be answering these questions and more in three features on 1 October. To get involved, please contact the writers below however please be aware there is no guarantee of inclusion.
To ensure your brand is represented, please contact the advertising team to discuss availability.
Confectionery: Health by Ian Quinn (Ian.Quinn@wrbm.com)
With the sugar levy on soft drinks due for implementation next April, the anti-sugar brigade is turning its attention to chocolate and sweets, calling for a raft of measures to be implemented to reduce confectionery’s contribution to Britain’s ever expanding waistline. But what exactly is being proposed and by whom? What evidence is there to suggest these measures would be successful? How are brands and retailers responding?
Themes:
Current and proposed regulations: This feature will set the scene by outlining the current regulatory environment confectioners are working in and outline what has been proposed and the likelihood of such measures successfully reducing the impact confectionery has on obesity levels
Brands: Central to this feature will be a discussion of how the sector’s biggest brands are responding to the obesity debate. We will be looking at issues such as reformulation and recipe changes, portion control, shrinking unit sizes and so on.
Retailers: This feature will pay attention to how different retailers are responding to all the concern over the impact confectionery has on obesity levels. This discussion will include how retailers are adjusting their branded and own label ranges, merchandising and so on.
How confectionery has been hit by regulators in other countries: We will be crunching the numbers on the markets biggest launches from the past five years. Which have achieved the greatest sales and how? And which have genuine staying power? Have any made a big splash in their first year or two on shelf and then struggled to maintain momentum?
Chocolate Category Report by Daniel Selwood (Daniel.Selwood@wrbm.com)
Ouch. The chocolate market has had more than £100m wiped off its value in the past year. How much of this is down to the so-called ‘war on sugar’? What other factors have driven this decline and what are brands and retailers doing to turn things around?
Themes:
Innovation: Central to this feature will be an exploration of how brands and retailers are innovating in order to drive growth and defy the growing obesity debate and inflationary market? We will profile 12 of the most interesting launches in a separate panel? Submissions must include launch data, name of manufacturer, recommended selling price, stockists and a high res image.
Changing consumption habits: Research suggests that the way Brits consume confectionery is still evolving, with more sharing with friends and family in the evenings, rather than consuming on the go. How are brands and retailers responding to this? How are formats changing? To what extent has this been driven by the removal of confectionery from till points?
Shrinkflation: Average price per kilo has soared for some brands over the past year. To what extent has this been driven by brands shrinking packs but keeping prices the same to offset commodity cost inflation? Who’s is doing this? And are people switching to other brands as a result? What else is affecting prices?
Retailers and brands: This feature will include comment from both retailers and their branded suppliers on everything from marketing and merchandising strategies through to the obesity debate, promotions and more.
Sugar Confectionery Category Report by TBC (interim contact: Rob.Brown@wrbm.com)
The sugar confectionery, mints and gum market is struggling. How much of this is down to the so-called ‘war on sugar’? What other factors have driven this decline and what are brands and retailers doing to turn things around?
Themes:
Innovation: Central to this feature will be an exploration of how brands and retailers are innovating in order to drive growth and defy the growing obesity debate and inflationary market? We will profile 12 of the most interesting launches in a separate panel? Submissions must include launch data, name of manufacturer, recommended selling price, stockists and a high res image.
Changing consumption habits: Research suggests that the way Brits consume confectionery is still evolving, with more sharing with friends and family in the evenings, rather than consuming on the go. How are brands and retailers responding to this? How are formats changing? To what extent has this been driven by the removal of confectionery from till points?
Shrinkflation: Average price per kilo has soared for some brands over the past year. To what extent has this been driven by brands shrinking packs but keeping prices the same to offset commodity cost inflation? Who’s is doing this? And are people switching to other brands as a result? What else is affecting prices?
Retailers and brands: This feature will include comment from both retailers and their branded suppliers on everything from marketing and merchandising strategies through to the obesity debate, promotions and more.
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