MIA NAPRTA
Leatherhead Food Research,
Randalls Way (off Randalls Road), Leatherhead,
Surrey KT22 7RY, United Kingdom

Abstract

This paper discusses the rise in appearance of “healthier”, “better for you” chocolates not only in health food stores but in mainstream supermarkets. It looks into the most popular claims being made on new product launches and provides several relevant examples for each group of claims.

MARKET OVERVIEW

"Healthier" chocolate claims
The overall number of new product launches (NPLs) within the chocolate confectionery category has been somewhat volatile over the last five years (1) (Mintel, 2015). This can, to some extent, be explained by a mature market, volatility in cocoa prices and other economical factors. At the same time, the percentage of chocolate products that are launched with some sort of a health-related marketing claim has grown from 15% in 2010 to 17.5% in 2014 (1) (Mintel, 2015). This trend is most likely a result of industry's response to consumers' increasing health concerns and a demand for healthier treats in light of worrying obesity figures, particularly in Europe and North America. Furthermore, consumers are increasingly looking for smart solutions in their food. In their multi-tasking lives, they need their food to multi-task too and chocolate seems like a suitable platform for "added goodness". So, the question is can chocolate remain a treat, while becoming "healthier" and "better for us"? (Figure 1)

Looking at the types of claims being made on the NPLs within the chocolate confecti ...