There’s a big hole in sales of Polos
Mints fall out of fashion as we ditch sugar
IT’s news that will leave a sour taste in the mouths of many – but eight out of the ten biggest brands of mints have seen sales fall in the past year, figures reveal.
Trebor and Polo (pictured) are among those to have suffered as consumers cut down on sugar or switch to alternatives such as chewing gum.
Analysts believe demand has also fallen because improving dental hygiene and declining numbers of smokers mean mints are less often used as breath fresheners.
sales of mints are still worth around £150 million a year in the UK. But that is down 7.7 per cent in the past year, according to analysis published in trade magazine The Grocer.
Polo has fallen by 9.7 per cent while rivals Trebor are down by 8.7 per cent. Only manufacturers Drumstick and Rowntree’s experienced a growth in sales – with increases of 27.5 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively.
Cameron sharp, of analysts nielsen, said: ‘Mints make up just 3.1 per cent of the £5billion shoppers spent on confectionery over the last year.’
sweet makers are now concentrating on products that sell better. sales have also been damaged by changing consumer habits as more shoppers get their groceries online, making impulse purchases of sweets less likely, analysts said.
Mr sharp added: ‘large manufacturers with product ranges across the spectrum of confectionery tend to place a greater emphasis on those areas with greater scale and potential for growth, such as chocolate.
‘We’ve seen a 7.7 per cent decline in mints over the last year, with the biggest losses coming through in single packs.’ some mints also contain gelatin and additives, making them inappropriate for those who abide by meat-free or organic diets. This has also hit other sweets such as wine gums.
The shift has lead to start-up brands offering ‘grown-up’ sweet products – often vegan, sugar-free or unusual flavours – taking some market share away from traditional sellers, The Grocer reported.
nicole Dunphy, founder of luxury confectioner Pandora Bell, said: ‘We’ve found our shoppers are willing to pay a little more for products that are ethical.’
But sugar is still the biggest barrier for many, the report said, describing it as ‘the elephant in the room’. Claire James of Haribo said: ‘It escapes no one that sugar has received a lot of attention in the last year.’