Retailers SN spoke with noted the particularly strong performance of the sugar-free, or diet, candy segment over the past several years. The category may account for a relatively small piece of overall candy sales, but it is growing at a rapid pace.
relevance within the health and wellness arena.
The incidence of diabetes in the United States is rising steadily in accordance with the aging boomer population, and these consumers take matters of personal health into their own hands. Not only do these consumers have more information than ever before regarding issues of health, they believe that they can play an active role in prevention and maintenance. People are turning to products that can help them keep the disease under control on a daily basis, rather than relying solely on the care of physicians and medication.
In response to the growing demand, some of the larger candy manufacturers, such as Russel Stover, are coming out with expansive sugar-free lines.
