Chocolate and confectionery remain among the most resilient and emotionally anchored categories in UK grocery retail, and within this landscape, convenience stores hold a particularly strong position.
Despite economic pressures, rising input costs and ever-evolving shopper expectations, the British love affair with sweet treats shows no sign of slowing down.
For convenience retailers, this category does more than deliver impulse sales; it brings consistent footfall, dependable margins and a level of shopper loyalty that many other categories can only envy.
Understanding how this market is evolving and what drives seasonal peaks, brand preferences and format shifts has become essential for any retailer who wants confectionery to play its full strategic role in-store.
The UK confectionery market remains one of the strongest in Europe, supported by deeply embedded consumption habits, a wide spectrum of price points, and the emotional connection shoppers have with both chocolate and sugar-based sweets.
According to research by TWC SmartView Convenience, the total confectionery market is worth £1.5bn in convenience and is growing 2.89 per cent year on year.
Within this, chocolate, which accounts for 63.5 per cent of the total confectionery market, is worth £999.9m and is up 4.5 per cent. Sugar confectionery makes up 30.4 per cent of the total confectionery.
Gums account for 6.06 per cent of total confectionery, worth £95.3m and up 5.25% year on year.
And as Laura O’Neill, Senior Brand Manager for Christmas at Mars Wrigley, points out, Christmas remains the beating heart of the confectionery calendar.
“Despite the ongoing inflationary environment, shoppers remained engaged, with both value and unit sales increasing (+8.5 per cent and +4.5 per cent respectively) across the total category, highlighting that demand for seasonal confectionery remains resilient,” O’Neill says.
Within this total, convenience retail holds a far larger slice in chocolates than many realise. Convenience also performs strongly in sugar confectionery, where gum, jellies, chews, hard candy and novelty formats remain key impulse products.
If supermarkets dominate the “big shop”, c-stores absolutely own the “little treat”. And that “little treat”, in confectionery, is everything.
The channel’s performance rests heavily on the shopper mission. Chocolate and sweets are intrinsically linked to impulse purchasing. Convenience stores are structurally built for these moments- long hours, neighbourhood locations, natural footfall patterns, front-end displays and simple, eye-level merchandising.
Turning sweet treats into sweet sales
Cadbury remains the undisputed powerhouse within the UK chocolate market. Dairy Milk alone continues to command an exceptionally high market share. Its grip on the market is supported by brand heritage, affordability, innovation through limited editions, format variety, and continuous marketing investment.
Convenience retailers note that Cadbury’s strength is equally visible in their stores, particularly in single bars, sharing bags and price-marked packs.
Mars, Galaxy, Maltesers, Snickers and Twix follow closely. Maltesers, in particular, have become a standout performer in the convenience channel, especially in sharing pouches and multipacks. Galaxy holds its ground among adults seeking smoother, slightly more premium chocolate at accessible price points.
At the premium end, Lindt and Ferrero Rocher shine brightest during Christmas.
Formats are central to understanding chocolate behaviour in convenience stores. Single bars, typically ranging between 30g and 50g, are the undisputed heroes of the channel.
They deliver high margins, high rotation and strong impulse conversion. Sharing bags, typically between 120g and 220g, have also grown significantly, particularly in convenience stores located in residential areas.
Multipacks remain important, though slightly less so in convenience than in supermarkets. A small multipack (4 to 6 bars) still performs well, particularly when price-marked.
And then, at Christmas, come the tubs. Celebrations, Roses, Quality Street and Heroes are the festive giants. Their visibility, attractive price points and gifting suitability make them essential from late October, with sales exploding in the final ten days before Christmas.
Novelty treats such as chocolate coins, advent calendars, and Santa-shaped treats add colour and festivity to the aisle, helping with theatre and impulse conversion.
Although chocolate dominates value share, sugar confectionery holds its own as a vital pillar of the category, especially in convenience stores where impulse drives a significant share of sales.
The key performers within sugar confectionery include brands such as Maynards Bassetts, Rowntree’s, Haribo, Swizzels, Fruittella and Jelly Babies.
Sugar confectionery has unique advantages in convenience retail. Many formats sit comfortably below the £1.50 price point, making them attractive as add-on purchases. Smaller bags (30g to 50g) work particularly well around the till, while mid-sized bags (100g to 150g) play strongly within the main confectionery fixture.
Although Christmas is more chocolate-heavy, sugar confectionery still performs during December—especially in hanging bags, candy canes, seasonal jellies and novelty sweets.
One notable strength of sugar confectionery is its colour palette. While chocolate relies on brand blocks, sugar sweets rely on visual vibrancy. When displayed well, particularly in hanging formats, the category can create strong visual pull and significantly boost impulse purchasing.
Get-togethers and big night-ins are prime opportunities for sharing over the festive period, and Perfetti Van Melle offers various delicious options for enjoying a treat alongside loved ones.
Image from Perfetti Van Melle
Chupa Chups Mini Lollipop Bag targets sharing occasions with 30 mini lollipops in fan-favourite flavours Cola, Strawberry, Orange, Apple and Cherry launching in time to add some sweetness and variety to upcoming summer parties and holidays.
Using only natural colourings, infused with Vitamin C, featuring a recyclable paper stick and individually wrapped to promote hygiene and portion control, these vegetarian-friendly tasty treats make a delicious, inclusive and sustainable addition to any Big Night In offering this Christmas.
Fruit-tella’s delectable chews contain real fruit juice and are made with all-natural colourings and flavours. All Fruit-tella sharing bag sweets are individually wrapped, and as such they are a treat that promotes hygiene and portion control.
This makes them the perfect portable snack for families looking to enjoy a big night in treats without an added sugar-hit.
Innovation is alive and well. Mentos Discovery, offering an unprecedented 14 flavours in one roll, including lychee, banana, passion fruit, lime, grape and watermelon, has already become a £1.1m sub-brand.
Perfect for sharing, guessing flavours, and tapping into younger consumers’ appetite for experimentation, it demonstrates the breadth this category continues to offer.
Mixed fruit flavours dominate the hard chews sweets category, worth £71m in L52w, with recent research proving there is a burgeoning appetite among sweet eaters for exotic flavours.
Mentos Discovery has had incredible results in 2024 despite the single roll only being launched in May. It is now a £1.1m sub-brand with the single roll accounting for £820,000 worth of sales.
Keeping Christmas Sweet
It seems like an extra Christmassy season since confectionery leader Mondelez has kickstarted the season with a strong mix of returning favourites and new innovations.
For 2025, Mondelēz International is introducing a Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff 350g block to shelves, helping retailers tap into the sharing occasion with this iconic flavour.
Moreover, Cadbury Dairy Milk Coins are also back. In 2024, this line was the leading gifting novelty SKU across the whole market, having sold over 4.5 million packs since its relaunch in 2023.
More offerings from Mondelez this year include Cadbury Mini Snow Balls, the leading Christmas block in independent retailers and symbol groups, along with sharing ranges, including Cadbury Roses and Cadbury Heroes.
Cadbury Mini Puds is also here, bringing this festive favourite into a bitesize bag format for the first time.
Moving on, OREO, the world’s favourite biscuit brand, is returning for more Christmas fun with the second year of limited-edition OREO Gingerbread.
OREO is also launching a brand-new OREO Assortments pouch, featuring three different types of OREO, perfect to share with friends and family on those cold nights in.
The brand is also bringing back OREO White Enrobed, Mondelēz International’s leading festive biscuit in 2024. Cadbury Snowy Fingers is also returning to shelves for 2025, alongside Cadbury Festive Animals, to tap into more festive joy.
This year’s Mondelēz International’s Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff Advent Calendar, featuring 24 Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolates, is going to add extra festive flavour. It’s a great option for those looking to trade up this year and makes the countdown ritual even more special.
Sharing with Asian Trader, Nicole Partridge, Senior Brand Manager, Christmas, at Mondelēz International, said, “With Cadbury Cadbury being the leading Chocolate supplier, we’re in a great position to spruce up retailers’ ranges this winter, with our much-loved seasonal range.
“Our iconic seasonal products allow consumers to tailor their festive snacking to their own requirements.
“This Christmas we’re extending our successful partnership with Lotus Biscoff even further, introducing our second piece of NPD with our new Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff Advent Calendar, the most indulgent way to count down to the big day.”
Image from Mondelez
Speaking about advent calendars, retailers should also make space for the Chupa Chups Advent Calendar.
Bursting with daily surprises, this festive treat brings a playful twist to the traditional countdown and taps into gifting and sharing occasions, making it a valuable addition to retailers’ holiday lineups.
Last Christmas, Chupa Chups grew ahead of the sweets category, achieving a significant 15.8 per cent increase in value sales and an impressive 24.2 per cent rise in unit sales, compared to the overall category performance - proof of the exceptional seasonal appetite and demand.
Mark Roberts, Marketing & Trade Marketing Director at Perfetti Van Melle, said, “Set to spread festive cheer along confectionery aisles around the UK, each of the 24 doors hides a different delight, from classic, beloved lollipops to jellies and bubble-gum, ensuring that every day leading up to Christmas is a sweet surprise.
“Fans can look forward to discovering favourites like Melody Pops and Big Babol, as well as a selection of lollipops from ‘The Best Of’, making this calendar a must-have for Chupa Chups enthusiasts of all ages – there really is something to satisfy all taste buds.”
To add on to the fun, Swizzels’ popular Advent Calendar is also returning with a brand-new eye-catching design that will make the countdown to Christmas extra magical.
Clare Newton, trade and shopper marketing manager at Swizzels, tells Asian Trader, “Packed with a variety of Swizzels’ most-loved sweets, including Drumstick Chews, Love Hearts, Refreshers and Squashies, it’s an affordable, fun option which brings 24 days of sweet surprises and appeals across generations.”
Newton continues, “For retailers to drive sales, it’s important that they offer a wide variety of products that appeal to different shopper missions.
“Convenience stores attract customers who are doing last-minute and top-up shopping in the run-up to Christmas Day, which is why we suggest retailers stock up on a varied festive range which includes products with different price points.”
Pouches, cartons, and sharing packs are versatile products offering treats suitable for various occasions, such as stocking fillers, gifting, and parties.
Displaying these alongside larger products like advent calendars and sharing tubs in eye-catching displays will encourage sales and assure customers that they can purchase everything they need as Christmas approaches, Newton adds.
This festive season, nostalgia remains a powerful trend, with classic flavours like gingerbread evoking comfort, joy, and a sense of tradition across seasonal food and drink.
Embracing this trend, Mars Wrigley is adding to its popular Maltesers Reindeer range with the addition of a new Gingerbread Maltesers Reindeer.
Coated in smooth milk chocolate, filled with Maltesers’ signature creamy malt centre and enhanced with classic gingerbread flavour, this new festive treat adds a seasonal twist to a consumer favourite.
Next up and building on the success of last year’s M&M’s Crispy Milk Chocolate Santa (29g), Mars Wrigley is expanding the M&M’s Santa range with the launch of a new M&M’s Crispy Santa Five Pack.
This convenient format is perfect for stocking fillers, workplace sharing, or a seasonal self-treat.
As consumers seek elevated gifting and indulgence options during the festive season, premium advent calendars present valuable trade-up opportunities.
Mars Wrigley is responding to this demand by launching its MALTESERS Assorted Truffles Advent Calendar (216g) nationally for the first time. This luxurious calendar combines rich flavours with daily anticipation, transforming the traditional Christmas countdown into a premium experience.
Lastly, Mars Wrigley’s popular selection boxes have a cracking new look for 2025.
The TWIX & Friends, SKITTLES & Friends, MALTESERS & Friends, GALAXY Christmas Collection, and M&M’s Selection Box will return with bolder, more festive packaging designed to stand out on shelf and capture shoppers' attention.
Laura O’Neill, Senior Brand Manager, at Mars Wrigley says, “Refreshing product ranges with new flavours and formats is essential during the festive season.
“Innovation is a key driver, with new product development contributing 27 per cent of Christmas 20243 growth. During this time, shoppers naturally turn to trusted brands for moments of nostalgia and indulgence.
“By combining nostalgic flavours, exciting innovations, accessible price points and premium choices, Mars Wrigley is providing retailers with the tools they need to drive sales, grow their audience and make the most of the festive trading period”.
Trends Shaping the sweets
Several movements continue to shape how shoppers interact with confectionery. The sour trend, driven largely by Gen Z, is one of the most dynamic areas of sugar confectionery.
Roberts from PVM shares with Asian Trader, “Chupa Chups Belts range taps into growing demand for sour and fruity sweets, the range comprises of tantalising Sour Mixed Belts, Sour Apple Belts, Sour Strawberry Belts.
“Packed in convenient 90g bags, the vibrant and playful packaging is designed to stand out on shelves, add colour to the confectionery aisles and entice new shoppers to the category.
“With an assortment of flavours, this new format is ideal for sharing amongst friends during cosy winter big night in occasions during the first few months of the year.”
Premiumisation remains influential. Even during periods of financial pressure, shoppers continue to trade up for seasonal treats and gifts. Convenience retailers do not need a large premium range; even two or three well-chosen lines can make a big difference.
This Christmas, consumers are on the hunt for classic confectionery.
IMage from Swizzels
Newton from Swizzels tells Asian Trader, “Nostalgia has been a prominent theme throughout the year, and we expect this will continue into the festive season.
“Christmas is about getting together with loved ones to celebrate, meaning it’s the perfect occasion for customers to purchase our Sweet Shop Favourites carton and variety bags, which are ideal for sharing.”
These versatile products are also plant-based, making them popular among those hosting or attending gatherings, as they offer treats for everyone to enjoy. They are also great for gifting.
Another trend is ethical and sustainable sourcing. Shoppers have become increasingly aware of cocoa origin, supply-chain transparency and environmental commitments.
Younger consumers in particular express preference for brands with clear sustainability credentials. For retailers, even a small sign indicating that a product is Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certified can help shoppers make confident decisions.
There is another significant movement which is the rise of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate, once seen as niche, has expanded meaningfully.
As shared by Lydia Stubbins, Marketing Director at Divine Chocolate, the popularity of dark chocolate sees a clear seasonal uplift through October to December, as consumers seek richer, more indulgent options to enjoy themselves or as a Christmas gifting option.
“This reflects a broader trend in the category, with dark chocolate growing +22 per cent over the past year - faster than both milk and white varieties - driven by demand for products that feel premium, indulgent, and more mindful in their ingredients.
“This seasonal shift creates an opportunity for independents to stock high-cocoa chocolate that meets shopper expectations for taste and purpose, while ethically supporting cocoa-growing
communities and guaranteeing farmers a fair wage regardless of market fluctuations,” Stubbins says.
There is a strong opportunity for independents to stand out from the multiples by offering indulgent, high-cocoa dark chocolate, giving shoppers a more sophisticated alternative to what is typically on offer.
As the only Fairtrade chocolate company co-owned by cocoa farmers, Divine’s Christmas dark chocolate range provides a clear point of differentiation for retailers, offering an indulgent and ethical gifting experience while also serving as a mindful, high-cocoa treat.
Divine’s Christmas range comprises classic favourites such as the Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar, Milk Chocolate Coins, and the Milk Chocolate Giant Coin.
Stocking these products allows independents to meet seasonal demand for premium chocolate while supporting the cocoa-growing communities from bean to bar, ensuring ethical sourcing and a positive impact throughout the supply chain.
Image from Divine Chocolate
Social media trends show that consumers are increasingly looking for festive products that deliver not just great taste, but great value, and in playful formats.
Seasonal flavours like gingerbread are growing in popularity, driven by their comforting and familiar associations with the holidays.
O’Neill from Mars Wrigley, says, “We’re tapping into this trend for Christmas 2025 by expanding our popular MALTESERS Reindeer range with the launch of a Gingerbread variant.
“This NPD is also going into our MALTESERS Mini Reindeers Gingerbread pack (59g) and the MALTESERS Christmas Mix (240g), allowing consumers to enjoy or share a new festive twist in a favourite format.
“Additionally, and building on the momentum from last year’s launch of M&M’s Crispy Milk Chocolate Santa Treat – which helped contribute to a 55 per cent uplift in the total singles category – we’re introducing a new M&M’s sharing pack containing five individually wrapped Santas.”
Sales through smart merchandising
Christmas is the biggest confectionery moment of the year, and convenience stores benefit most when they get three things right which are selection, visibility and timing.
Retailers must first ensure that the core Christmas products - tubs, boxed chocolates, seasonal countlines and novelty packs - are available and presented in a way that signals festivity.
Shoppers should be able to find Christmas-themed chocolate immediately upon entering the store or when approaching the till. The closer the product is to the shopper’s immediate line of sight, the more likely it is to be purchased.
As pointed out by Newton from Swizzels, the festive period provides plenty of opportunities for retailers to get creative and create a real buzz for customers.
“To help maximise visibility and drive confectionery sales, retailers should create impactful displays that capture shoppers’ attention,” says Newton.
“Swizzels’ sweets have been loved for decades, so by using festive POS materials and making use of recognisable branding, this will play into the trend of nostalgia, prompting customers to purchase Swizzels confectionery and boost sales for retailers.”
Visibility is crucial. Retailers who create a standalone Christmas confectionery zone, even if compact, typically see higher conversion rates. This zone can feature tubs at the bottom (as they are larger), boxed chocolates at mideye level, and novelty products higher up or along the sides.
Even a single end-gondola dressed with seasonal backing can significantly enhance perceived range.
Timing is perhaps the most decisive element. Retailers who stock Christmas lines early late October to early November gain the advantage of capturing first-wave shoppers.
But the biggest surge happens between 15 and 24 December, when the convenience store becomes the destination for shoppers who ran out of time or forgot a gift. Tubs, boxes and last-minute novelty chocolates perform exceptionally well in this late window.
Image from iStock
Pricing clarity remains essential. Shoppers are financially stretched during December, and price-marked packs provide reassurance.
Where possible, retailers should offer at least one promotional entry in tubs or gift chocolates. Even a small price cut during peak days can drive higher sales volume.
Cross-merchandising also helps. Placing chocolates near soft drinks or crisps encourages shoppers to build “evening in” baskets. Adding chocolates near chilled food-to-go can stimulate lunchtime impulse purchases.
Stock management can make or break Christmas success. Retailers should monitor stock levels closely, especially in the fortnight before Christmas, and reorder fast-moving lines promptly.
Running out of seasonal tubs or bestselling boxes during the final days before Christmas is a lost opportunity.
Make merry this Christmas
Chocolate and confectionery are more than just impulse buys; they are emotional categories with deep cultural roots in the UK, and they remain highly resilient despite economic pressures.
For convenience retailers, the category is both a footfall driver and a dependable margin generator.
Christmas represents the most lucrative moment of the year for confectionery, and retailers who prepare early, merchandise clearly and balance value with premium offerings stand to benefit the most.
Stocking the core brands, offering clear pricing, reinforcing seasonal excitement, and maintaining availability throughout December are the fundamentals of strong festive performance.
Confectionery is one of the few categories that blends reliability with excitement. With careful planning, strong visibility and an understanding of shopper motivation, convenience stores can turn the category into one of the most consistently rewarding parts of their business, whether in everyday trade or during the all-important Christmas surge.
And if the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that no matter the mood of the nation, Christmas is always better with chocolate and convenience stores will always be right at the heart of the magic.
So have a merry chocolatey Christmas.