Trick or treat, Mr Trump? The US resists as the first buyer of candy and chewing gum ‘made in Spain’ despite the tariffs

Halloween wouldn’t be the same without candy, gum or a chocolate bar. In USAthe unofficial birthplace of this festival that has its roots in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon traditions, many of these sweets come from Spain. According to the ‘Produlce Foreign Trade Report’, prepared annually by the Spanish Sweets Association (Produlce), in the candy and chewing gum category the US market continues to be the best customer for Spanish manufacturers. Last year they were exported to this market 142 million euros in candy and chewing gum, 4% less in terms of value and 8.8% less in volume than in 2023. The country presided over by Trump is the third best global buyer for Spanish sweets: 204.38 million of euros, only behind France (389.55 million) and Portugal (352.07 million). From the employers’ association of the sector, its general secretary Rubén Moreno, hopes that the tariffs will have “a non-relevant effect” but he is cautious while waiting for the end of the year.

The representative of Produlce explains to this medium that it must also be taken into account “tariffs for gummies and candies taxes on other countries, which are very similar for the rest of the countries of the European Union (15%). However, in the case of nations like Turkey or Colombia, remember that the rate is slightly lower, 10%. “I hope that European quality and guarantee servealthough in 2024 we had a “small decline of 4% in the United States”, warns Moreno who adds that the Spanish industry is not stopping investing to be more competitive in this country. A market that, if we include the rest of candy categories (cocoa and chocolate, cookies, pastries, baking and nougat), received exports for a total amount of 204.38 million euros. After the candies and chewing gum, the cookies (31.48 million), the cocoa and chocolate (13.8 million), the nougat and marzipan (10.66 million) and the products of bread making (6.4 million euros).

“I hope that the European quality and guarantee will serve, although in 2024 we had a ‘small decline of 4% in the United States”, Rubén Moreno (Produlce)

“Spanish companies are quite prepared”

Halloween is objectively a ‘peak’ demand for Spanish sweets. Moreno (Produlce) explains that “in the candy and chewing gum category this holiday is more noticeable, but it also depends on the type of company because there are some that have from 4.5 to 10% of their turnover depending on these days.” In this regard, he notes the “consolidation of the party in Spain” and how manufacturers are already adapting their ‘packaging’ with different formats, thematic proposals or special editions. From the employers’ association of the sector, they add, that many more actions are being carried out at the point of sale such as promotions. “Spanish companies are quite prepared,” Rubén Moreno values ​​​​who points out that since the pandemic, individual packaging is the one that is having the most development.

Regarding consumption trends, Produlce highlights that hard candy is the main protagonist with a turnover more than 180 million euros (24% more than in 2023) last year. Soft candies also recorded very significant sales, close to 500 million eurosand with a growth of 13.5% in relation to the previous year. For its part, chewing gum has lost weight (-13%).

Optimism for the end of the year

Asked about the prospects for the end of the year, the general secretary of the Spanish Sweets Association, explains that “the feeling is positive since we come from years where we have been closing the gap with inflationwhich in 2023 was exaggerated” and highlights that the sector is in “a moment of consolidation.” In addition, Rubén Moreno adds, “consumption is happy because the macroeconomic data accompanyand there is no black swan, as we have had almost every year since 2020.” The representative of the sweet sector predicts “a calmer and more homely Christmas despite what is happening with some raw materials and the tariff in the United States.” Regarding cocoa, whose price has been one of the biggest headaches for manufacturers in recent months, Moreno believes that there are “better perspectives”even points to “a certain relaxation”, and explains that the evolution of quotes takes a while to reach final prices. So this Christmas, consumers still won’t notice since “the cocoa for the nougat and marzipan was acquired at the beginning of this year.”