Candy gets creative

Suppliers have been busy thinking up new ways to make confectionery fun, engaging and irresistible.

By Sarah Britton

It’s not been plain sailing for confectionery of late. It was named by James Walton, Chief Economist at IGD, as one of the categories most affected when food and drink inflation increased to 3.7% in March.

But despite this, it remains a category that consumers turn to for both enjoyment and comfort. “Sugar Confectionery is a resilient category as it delivers lifts and treats for its consumers,” says Mark Roberts, Marketing & Trade Marketing Director at Perfetti Van Melle. “As we continue into a challenging economic landscape, confectionery remains an affordable treat, giving retailers a compelling sales generator.”

However, the formats consumers are choosing are changing as they adapt to the rising cost of living. Shoppers are opting for larger pack sizes and sharing options within confectionery, which they perceive to be better value, notes Talysis in its Q1 convenience report. Countlines saw a dip of -8.4% in volume during Q1 2026 vs the same period last year, despite value growth of +4.5%, reports Talysis. At the same time, large bag formats increased by +9.6% in both value and volume terms, growing their value share of the category by 1.5% in the process.

Mentos has both countlines and sharing covered with its new Sour Tones sweets, which are available in both a 37.5g roll and a £1.25 120g price-marked bag. The confectionery brand behind the number one Fruit Single [Circana All Outlets, United Kingdom, Sweets to Format – Singles, Value Sales, 52 w/e 27 Dec 2025] has jumped on the ever-popular sour trend.

Victoria Gibson, Mentos Junior Brand Manager at Perfetti Van Melle, said: “Sour continues to be one of the fastest-growing flavour trends, making up 12% of the market and worth £171m in sales. Sour-flavoured products are growing 4.5 times faster than the Total Market [Circana All Outlets, Sweets to Sector – Fruit Sweets (Filtered by Flavour), Value & Volume Sales, 52 w/e 27 Dec 2025].

“Sour Tones hits the sweet spot for Gen-Z consumers while offering retailers a compelling opportunity to drive incremental sales and profits from this high growth flavour space.”

Available in Strawberry, Orange and Apple flavours, Sour Tones is available in Dhamecha, Spar, Parfetts, United Wholesale (Scotland), Filshill and United Wholesale Grocers.

The new product sits in the £99m Hard Chews sweet category [Circana All Outlets & KWP Bargain Stores, Sweets to Type – Hard Chews, Value Sales, 52 w/e 27 Dec 2025] and has been strategically developed to help retailers drive sales from Gen Z shoppers, where flavour is the number one reason to try something new [Innova Market Insights, Gen Z and Trends in Flavours report, 2023].

Sour sweets are a winner for Northamptonshire retailer Vidur Pandya, owner of Kislingbury Village Store & Post Office. “We stock a variety of sour-flavoured sweets across different brands and they are great sellers,” he says. “We find how sour a product is creates a talking point in store too, connecting our staff with our customers.”

World of Sweets has also latched on to the power of sour with its upcoming Traitors range launch, which takes the fun factor to the max with ‘play-led’ treats.

Tapping into the hit BBC TV show, the interactive sweets are designed for at-home socialising, sharing and surprise challenges. Inspired by the tension, twists and social gameplay of The Traitors, the range has been developed to bring a stronger play element into confectionery. Surprise and reveal mechanics include sweet vs sour experiences, which World of Sweets expects will result in TikTok-style reaction moments and ‘shareable content’.

“This makes the range particularly relevant for retailers looking to drive incremental sales through products that offer entertainment value, not just taste,” says World of Sweets.

The Traitors range includes sweet or sour challenge Chews (120g, RSP £1.50); a Jellybean Spinner Game (100g, RSP £3); Chocolate Coins (72g, RSP £1.75); and a Chocolate Shield Medallion (26g, RSP £1.50).

The range will be available from September, and World of Sweets claims that it has strong potential for secondary siting and branded FSDU activation to maximise visibility and encourage impulse conversion.

The firm has a play-led launch for younger consumers too, with its Gumi Yum Surprise Minions range, which launches this month, ahead of the release of Minions & Monsters in cinemas on 1 July 2026.

The product offers fruit-flavoured gummy candy strips, which can be unwrapped from an egg inner to reveal a surprise toy inside. The sugar-dusted candy is layered in eight flavours: cherry, strawberry, orange, pineapple, lemon, green apple, blue raspberry and grape.

Gumi Yum Surprise, which made its UK debut last year, has delivered strong results, achieving £4.6m UK RSV and becoming one of the strongest-performing singles lines in convenience multiples.

Director of Sales and Marketing at World of Sweets, Helen Bradshaw, says: “Gumi Yum Surprise has had a fantastic launch year in the UK, proving there is real appetite for confectionery that combines great-tasting candy with collectability and play value.

“The launch of Gumi Yum Surprise Minions takes that momentum to the next level. With Minions & Monsters arriving in cinemas this summer, retailers have a brilliant opportunity to tap into a globally recognised family brand at a key sales period.”

Gumi Yum Surprise Minions will be available in 26g single units, packed 18 per case, with an RRP of £1.50, making it an affordable treat for cash-conscious parents.

Tapping into the play-led trend and sourcing interactive sweets that stimulate the senses and capture consumers’ imaginations can help to keep confectionery sales sweet in 2026.