Nielsen: Chocolate purchases up during pandemic
The coronavirus crisis has steered the national trend of conscious eating in the other direction.
Early in the pandemic, Americans stocked up on junk food, frozen meals and various breakfast cereals. Now, data indicates that chocolate was also top of mind throughout stay-at-home orders and the ease into reopening the economy.
During the 17-week period that ended on June 27, U.S. consumers spent $3.7 billion on chocolate, up 6.3% from that time period last year, according to Nielsen
data.
Milk chocolate was the favorite choice, with Americans spending over $2.9 billion on single serve and multiserve versions of the snack.
Dark chocolate sales were up 13.6% while mixed and white chocolate sales slid, according to Nielsen data. Scientific studies show that dark chocolate and other cocoa products can be a stress reliever.
The data comes almost five months after the pandemic was declared, sparking pandemonium and product shortages at supermarkets as Americans stockpiled goods and prepared to hunker down.
Pre-pandemic, U.S. adults were shying away from sugary snacks and cereal, a trend credited to health-conscious millennials.
But with restaurants shuttered and cabin fever setting in, the coronavirus crisis sent the dry breakfast snack flying off the shelves.
Companies like Kraft Heinz and Kellogg’s ramped up production to meet increasing demand.
McCormick reported a sharp uptick in sales of vanilla as people began baking snacks from home more. Oreo-maker Mondelez International Inc. also saw increasing demand for cookies and crackers early in the pandemic.