Chocolate in France - Statistics & Facts
Cocoa beans, which are essential to the manufacture of chocolate food products, are harvested by very few countries around the globe. Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), a major world player, is also the main supplier for French manufacturers. As French people eat an average of 12.5 kilograms of chocolate a year, the market opportunities for chocolate giants, such as Lindt and Nestlé, are abundant.
While concerns about sustainability have affected the chocolate market, sales in France have rebounded in recent years. The rising demand for fairtrade cocoa reflects consumers' growing preference for more responsible options.
A chocolate for everyone?
As chocolate is part of the few food products that are universally appreciated, manufacturers are continuously coming up with new ideas and concepts for their chocolate-flavored products. Nowadays, choices are numerous and diverse: with variations in taste, shapes, sizes, or even colors, there is a chocolate product for (almost) everyone. As a result, these submarkets are home to a plethora of brands, all competing for the same prize: the heart (and tastebuds) of consumers. Following a more global food retail trend, private-label brands of chocolate bars hold the top spot among French consumers who want to indulge, but at a reasonable price point.Challenges in chocolate retail
Alongside this enjoyment for products containing cocoa, yearly sales have, however, experienced a slight decrease between 2014 and 2019. Even though sales picked up since 2020, rising concerns regarding consumption habits and lack of sustainability are among the explanations for this development. This could also be one of the reasons why cocoa beans are the third most sold fairtrade product in the world: consumers appear to be searching for ways to fulfill their chocolate needs more responsibly.While concerns about sustainability have affected the chocolate market, sales in France have rebounded in recent years. The rising demand for fairtrade cocoa reflects consumers' growing preference for more responsible options.
