23 trends to know in sweets and chocolate

Indulgence comes in many forms, especially now with innovation rife across the sector and the British shopper’s definition of high quality becoming more nuanced than ever before. Sustainability is a strong selling point in the confectionery sector right now, as conscious consumerism continues to grow, and adventurous palates are seeking new twists on classic favourites.

Here are the trends you need to know.

Childhood favourites

Whatever their age, nobody can resist the allure of the old-fashioned sweet shop. While loose sweets presented in giant glass jars piled high on shelves has been a joyful sight for generations, most retail establishments don’t have the means to make quite such a spectacle of their confectionery options – therefore, smart stocking and merchandising is key. Bring back fond memories by opting for classic flavours like toffee, honeycomb and liquorish; stock confections that customers young and old will love such as boiled sweets and marshmallows; and don’t forget to sprinkle a bit of childhood magic on proceedings with the clever use of display. 

1. Gourmet spreads

Chocolate and nuts are a classic combination – with great reason – but swirl them together into a spread and we’re into childhood favourites territory (thanks to a pretty iconic mainstream brand). There are alternatives out there which will fit perfectly on your shelves, ticking the quality and flavour boxes while maintaining the nostalgic flavour we all love. 

We like: Islands Chocolate Chocolate & Hazelnut Spread

2. Marshmallows

Whether relished as a solo confection or partnered with a hot drink (a marshmallow semi-melted into a hot chocolate or chai latte is a glorious thing), marshmallows are pure joy in sweet form. High quality options are a far cry from the additive-laden mass-produced ones, so do your – super fun – research to uncover mallows that offer quality, incredible flavour and trending innovation.

We like: Mallowdramatic’s Carrot Cake marshmallows

3. Modernised classics

While familiarity is at the heart of childhood nostalgia, today’s consumer is forever on the lookout for foodie excitement so feel free to go wild – not least because confectionery is a naturally great carrier for adventurous flavours. Classic British sweets modernised with far flung flavours are a great shout, and feel like an extra special treat thanks to their exotic taste profiles.

We like: Haldiram’s Marzipan Fusion Sweets

4. Cosy comfort

Sometimes, only heartwarmingly familiar flavours hit the spot – which is where the true classics come in. Buttery caramel notes from fudge and honeycomb are a mainstay in British shoppers’ hearts, and when partnered with a second favourite flavour they become even more special. 

We like: Roly’s Fudge Toffee Apple Fudge, Spice Kitchen’s Gingerbread & Honeycomb Milk Chocolate, Roots & Wings’ Organic Nougat, Fudge Kitchen’s Christmas Fudge Slider

5. Sweets on-the-go

While there’s a certain magic to scooping sweets from jars into striped paper bags, it can be a time-heavy luxury in today’s fast-paced world where even indulgence is often enjoyed – and certainly purchased – on the go. Stock up on ready-to-go classics in handy grab bags to satisfy your customers’ sweet cravings in an instant.

We like: The Bay Tree’s fudge, sweets and confectionery, RJ’s Batch 37 Soft Liquorice

Feel good sweet treats

Confectionery is, naturally, considered a treat. But not everyone can indulge in dairy-rich milk chocolate bars or sugary candies. The number of people diagnosed with either allergies or diabetes in the UK is on the rise. And, generally, consumers are being more thoughtful about their diets and how their wellbeing will be impacted by what they nibble on between meals.

It is well worth, then, having a few options in your wheelhouse that cater to these increasing needs. Low sugar chocolate bars and sweets for ‘me moments’ and gifting. Dairy, nut and gluten-free products to help those with allergies and intolerances get their indulgent kick. And healthsome products that are a little bit naughty, but mostly nice.

6. Vegan friendly

This category has expanded dramatically, thanks largely to bigger retailers like M&S showing plant-based sweets (like Percy Pigs) can taste just as good without the gelatine. As across most food and drink now, consumers are prioritising not only flavour, but clean ingredient decks. Seek out brands that are all-natural and as sustainable as possible.

We like: Yumma Cups Strawberry Fizz, Jeavons Rizo, Booja-Booja Honeycomb Caramel Chocolate Truffles, Cocoa Caravan Guayaquil 75%

7. Sugar-free

Once confined to the odd pack of sugar-free mints or toffees in the dusty far corner of a chemist or health food store, there’s now a great deal of interest in sugar-free sweets and chocolates. Growing numbers of diabetes sufferers are looking for something to satisfy their sweet tooth, but there are also followers of keto diets, and even perimenopausal and menopausal women cutting out sugar as they struggle with hormonal weight gain. Your selection should reflect and appeal to a mixed demographic here.

We like: The Lite Chocolate Company Dark Orange, Free From Fellows Gummy Bears,

8. Functional

Functional food and drink is experiencing huge growth in the UK and is no longer confined to use by fitness fanatics. Consumers across the board, whether they’re upping their protein intake for the gym, or slipping functional mushrooms into their diets to eleviate stress or improve focus, are more tuned in than ever around what they’re putting into their bodies. Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga and Shiitake mushrooms are creating a buzz, as are CBD, ashwagandha, pro and prebiotics and added protein.

We like: Radek’s Chocolate Organic Lion’s Mane Chocolate, Kaicao 70% Cacao with Reishi & Ashwagandha, Chocolarder 100% Dark

9. Organic

It’s no longer good enough to simply pay lip service to organic food and drink during promotional weeks only. Consumers, particularly younger shoppers, are being super conscious about the sustainability and health benefits of what they eat, and this extends to chocolate and confectionery. 

We like: Wild Thingz Organic Zesty Pests

Full of flavour

Nostalgia will always play a strong part in the connection we have to confectionery. Remembering the tins of chocolates we passed around with our families as children at Christmas, or the little bags of pick ‘n mix granny snuck into our pockets as a treat.

While retailers should always keep one eye in the past when it comes to the sweet aisle, they shouldn’t miss the opportunity to be bold, tapping into the latest flavours and trends setting the food scene alight.

There’s certainly been a lot of change recently, as consumers are drawn to bigger, more ‘shouty’, tastes that make a lasting impression.

10. Mint

Dinner parties are back with a bang, and the hosts and hostesses with the most are seeking out myriad ways to impress their guests – including offering post-meal petits fours such as mints and chocolates with coffee.

Position your premium mints and tiny coffee biscuits alongside hot drinks to maximise cross sales.

We like: Summerdown Dark Chocolate Peppermint Thins, Forest Feast Peppermint Crisp Dark Chocolate Almonds

11. Rose

Despite rose creams having been around in the UK for generations, there’s still an air of mysticism and a touch of the exotic about this flavour profile, which has had a boost this year for its Middle Eastern essence, alongside pistachio.

It’s reaching a whole new audience.

We like: Rococo Rose & Violet Creams, Truede Turkish Delight, 

12. Coconut

This flavour is everywhere – in both sweet and savoury products. In the confectionery world, coconut milk is being used to replace dairy in chocolate to great success. And, more widely, it’s being leaned on to give the wow factor to marshmallows, fudge, sweets and more. Toasted coconut is a profile to watch.

We like: Mallow & Marsh Milk Chocolate over Coconut Mallows

13. Miso

We don’t see the miso bubble bursting any time soon. Miso caramel, particularly, is here to stay. Consumers simply cannot get enough of the Asian ingredient, whether it’s folded into brownies, used to cut through sweet caramel, infused into chocolate bars, or baked into butterscotch.

We like: Cox & Co Cacao’s Miso & Caramel bar

14. Matcha

Sales of matcha have soared globally in the past 12 months – and social feeds are exploding with matcha iced lattes, matcha art, matcha cakes, and matcha candy. If there’s one type of confectionery that’s going to capture the attention of younger shoppers, this is it.

We like: Willie’s Cacao Matcha White Chocolate Bar, Rye Chocolates Matcha White Chocolate Bar, Ombar Oat M’lk Matcha Latte bar

15. Ginger

A few years ago you might have thought ginger was a bit old-fashioned and passe, but with the appeal of nostalgia and comfort food, it’s having a real resurgence in both bakery and confectionery, with makers and retailers telling Speciality Food their customers are really enjoying anything and everything infused with its sweet spicy taste.

We like: Charbonnel et Walker Fine Dark Enrobed Stem Ginger, Canny Candy Gadgies Crumbly Ginger Fudge

Pure indulgence

In 2025, the concept of indulgence has a number of facets – especially in the realms of fine food and confectionery. Products which provide a sense of luxury no longer simply require fancy packaging – gold foiled lettering and simplistic box-ticking language such as ‘fine’. Instead, items which showcase sustainable qualities are considered by consumers to worth investing that bit more of their hard-earned cash in. This can take the form of single-origin or bean-to-bar chocolate, but the world of self-gifting – an ever-popular category – doesn’t stop there. Artisanal versions of classic confections like truffles are always strong sellers, so look for options with attractive packaging that make them even more of an appealing proposition.

16. Truffles

For decades, truffles have been seen as the height of indulgence – no doubt at least in part due to their supremely decadent texture, creamy and moreishly rich. So long as they’re made with high quality ingredients, their sophisticated simplicity will shine on-shelf.

We like: Well & Truly Truffles Oat M&lk Chocolate Truffles, Russell & Atwell Cornish Dream

17. Luxe pairings

Some flavour combinations never get old – such as chocolate with orange or chocolate and cherry. In the fine food sphere, a sophisticated play on an old school classic will go down a storm, so look for subtle yet taste-packed options which will offer your customers a decadent twist on tradition. 

We like: Ocelot Blood Orange

18. Caramel

Caramel is a favourite with sweet-toothed shoppers of all ages, and with good reason – especially in 2025. There’s a whole host of delicious options on offer these days, from Asian-inspired miso-infused caramels to modern classic sea salted caramel. Caramel-filled chocolates are everywhere, from convenience stores and corner shops to the finest chocolatiers, so set yourself apart by offering ones with pristine provenance and a touch of class.

We like: Les Chevaliers d’Argouges Oyster Pralines

19. Made for sharing

While treating oneself to a solo indulgence is a fine pleasure indeed, some would argue that sharing a confection with loved ones is an even greater one. Sharing-sized bags of chocolate are ten-a-penny in the supermarkets, so stand out from the crowd by offering larger scale options that can be split at the table (or sofa), with comforting flavours that make the moment extra special.

We like: Bean and Goose The Sharing Slab – Balmy Days

20. Nuts

Chocolate-coated nuts have long been a mainstay in the confectionery sector, and they’re as loved as ever. Opt for artisanal, ideally small-batch varieties which are instantly addictive thanks to their made-with-love flavour boost, and remember that roasted nuts taste the best – especially when smothered in fabulous quality chocolate.

We like: Cambrook Chocolate Almonds, Roots & Wings Organic Chocolate Covered Hazelnuts, Amatller Chocolate Covered Almonds

21. Sustainable sweets

UK shoppers are willing to pay more for chocolate which has proven sustainability credentials – from single origin and eco-friendly production to improving workers’ rights and conditions, these selling points benefit both people and planet (and taste great, too).

We like: Juan Choconat 100% Heirloom Reserve Chocolate

On the up

Many trends arrive in the food industry and then vanish as quickly as they appeared, but a number seem set to stay – these can be considered symptoms of the evolution of consumer demands rather than flash-in-the-pan crazes, so are worth investing in. For example, health is increasingly becoming a key consideration for shoppers, and with their time stretched they are looking for ways to boost their wellness via food – and if it is a delicious sweet treat, all the better. Seasonality also plays an important role here, and while every year brings its own new innovations, the classics will always win out year-on-year – think festive spicing for Christmas, romantic indulgence for Valentine’s Day and spooky novelty for Halloween.

22. Seasonal specials

Confectionery is one of the biggest categories to benefit from seasonal flavours and limited-edition products, with classic flavours such as gingerbread, cinnamon and chocolate orange scenting the air as the festive season approaches; hot cross bun-inspired chocolate and confectionery creating moments at Easter, and floral options finding new customers for Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Pumpkin spice is a heavy hitter at Halloween and well worth investing in – indeed, according to Data Intelo, the world’s Halloween confectionery market is currently worth 23.93 billion US dollars.

While it can be tempting to go all out with overtly seasonal products, some suggest stocking carefully and with your customer in mind – some audiences are fans of novelty products, such as snowmen and Father Christmas, when the festive season approaches, while others prefer to keep it wintery with snowflakes (which can maintain their shelf life post-Christmas, too).

We like: Cocoba Orange Chocolate Pumpkin Lollipop, Chococo Father Christmas Milk Chocolate Bar

23. Pistachio

We could all be forgiven for assuming that the Dubai chocolate trend was a flash in the pan, but new variations just keep coming – and the more general trend for pistachio in food and drink isn’t going anywhere either. The big confectionery players are bringing out their own versions left, right and centre, but as a speciality retailer your role is to provide an elevated take on the trend – think provenance, superior flavour, and innovative formats that deliver extra indulgence.

We like: Ibadah Pistachio Flavour Chocolate Dates, Prestat Crunchy Kadayif Dubai Style Truffle