Receptivity To Market Trends Holds The Key To The Troubled Japanese Confectionery Sector

Weak economic growth and squeezed disposable income makes Japan’s Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) markets one of the lowest growth markets in the region – factors that are exacerbated by the country’s aging population, which has contributed to a stagnant confectionery market. However, higher consumer expenditure and mild inflation is expected to boost demand for consumer goods in Japan in 2013, according to leading consumer specialist Canadean’s new report: Market Trends and Developments in the Confectionery Sector in Japan.

Key Market Trends
In order to capitalize on this opportunity for growth in a challenging market, Confectionery providers must be reactive to key market trends:

Luxury Consumption
Like the mature markets in the US and Western Europe, Luxury Chocolate is a fast growing segment in Japan: consumers are choosing to buy a smaller number of expensive but high quality chocolates rather than conventional bars and countlines. Their motivations range from gifting or special occasions, or simply the desire for a luxurious treat. Indeed, this demand for luxury chocolate has even seen premium brands focus on the development of high-end flagship stores and lavish product launches.

Health & Wellness
The functional benefits of Confectionery products are a growing driver in the overall market, which includes Food For Specified Health Use (FOSHU) items, which have been approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. For the Confectionery sector, the functional Gum segment offers the most significant opportunities, with chewing gums containing xylitol – which helps prevent tooth decay – being particularly popular in Japan. Indeed, sales of sugar-free gum have grown strongly in Japan, even whilst sales of conventional sugar gum have stagnated.

Fragmented Tastes
Confectionery items in Japan are often closely targeted to suit the taste and preference of specific consumer groups, either by:

• Age
• Geography
• Income Level
• Propensity to seek indulgent or new experiences

• Analysis of consumer behaviour, economic conditions, and demography, which reveals emerging opportunities in the Confectionery sector.
• Analysis of market dynamics for major Confectionery categories, which highlights key growth categories.
• Market shares for the leading brands and private label across Confectionery categories.
• An overview of packaging trends in the Japanese Confectionery sector, including primary packaging material and type, packaging closures, and outer packaging.

• The size of the market
• The economic, demographic, and behavioural trends that will drive the market’s evolution
• The market’s leading players
• New entrants and established players to gain rapid and comprehensive insight into the current state of the market, and identify key trends that will drive growth in the coming years.
• Rapid identification of key opportunities across key Confectionery categories and their packaging