Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Gum sales on the decline; mint, breath freshener sales rising
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- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and forecast of sugarless gum, regular gum, plain mints, and breath fresheners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Gum-chewing losing favor
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- Figure 2: Number of people chewing gum, 2004-15
- Freshness-focused products are key
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- Figure 3: Reasons for purchasing, June 2015
- Flavor more important than brand, cost
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- Figure 4: Desirable characteristics, June 2015
- The opportunities
- Innovation key for gum
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- Figure 5: Reasons for purchasing gum, by demographics, June 2015
- Mints, breath fresheners winning some gum purchasers
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- Figure 6: Percentage change in sales of mints and breath fresheners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Millennials concerned about artificial ingredients
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- Figure 7: Attitudes toward gum, mints, and breath fresheners, by demographics, any agree, June 2015
- What it means
The Market – What you need to know
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- Mints, breath fresheners are the sweet spot
- Sales of gum deflating
Market Size and Forecast
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- Gum dragging down overall category
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, by segment, at current prices, 2010-20
- Sales across retail channels
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- Figure 10: Total US retail sales of sugarless gum, by channel, at current prices, 2010-15
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- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of regular gum, by channel, at current prices, 2010-15
- Figure 12: Total US retail sales of plain mints, by channel, at current prices, 2010-15
- Figure 13: Total US retail sales of breath fresheners, by channel, at current prices, 2010-15
Market Breakdown
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- Mints benefitting from gum’s problems
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- Figure 14: Total US retail sales and forecast of plain mints, at current prices, 2010-20
- Breath fresheners see strongest growth
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- Figure 15: Total US retail sales and forecast of breath fresheners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Gum in decline, sugarless more than regular
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- Figure 16: Number of people chewing gum, 2004-14
- Figure 17: Total US retail sales and forecast of sugarless gum, at current prices, 2010-20
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- Figure 18: Total US retail sales and forecast of regular gum, at current prices, 2010-20
Market Factors
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- Decline in smoking could be affecting gum sales
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- Figure 19: Adults aged 18+ who are current cigarette smokers, 2001-20
- Confusion over pros, cons of gum chewing
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Mars dominates gum and mints; Hershey leads breath fresheners
- Mint, breath freshener brands’ sales grow
- Core brands offer growth opportunity for gum
- Sugarless gum’s success lies in focus on freshness
- Co-branding raises gum sales
Manufacturer Sales of Gum, Mints, and Breath Fresheners
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- Mars dominates overall category with nearly 50% share
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- Figure 20: MULO sales of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks ending June 14, 2015
- Core brands, freshening products win in sugarless gum
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- Figure 21: Mentos commercial for Pure Fresh gum
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- Figure 22: MULO sales of sugarless gum, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Juicy Fruit, bubble gum cause growth in regular gum
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- Figure 23: MULO sales of regular gum, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Mint brands enjoy sales gains, with Life Savers, Mentos in the lead
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- Figure 24: MULO sales of plain mints, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Breath fresheners gain, with Ice Breakers leading
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- Figure 25: MULO sales of breath fresheners, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
What’s Working?
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- Sugarless gum brands focus on minty freshness
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- Figure 26: MULO sales of Wrigley’s 5 Ascent sugarless gum
- Co-branding creates interest in gum
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- Figure 27: MULO sales of Juicy Fruit gum with Starburst flavors sugarless gum
- Focus on cooling sensation drives sales of mints
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- Figure 28: MULO sales of Altoids Arctic mints
- A message of confidence helps breath freshener sales
What’s Struggling?
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- Changing brand focus in gum a risky deal
- Private label mint sales struggle
- Freshening strips sales flat
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- Figure 29: MULO sales of Listerine PocketPaks breath-freshening strips
What’s Next?
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- Xylitol-sweetened gums, mints, breath fresheners to continue growth
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- Figure 30: Percentage of total launches of xylitol-sweetened gum and mints, annually, 2010-14
- Gum gets crunchier
- Sour flavor innovation coming to gum
- Chews blurring breath freshener lines
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- Figure 31: Ice Breakers Cool Blasts TV advertisement
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Purchasers of gum, mints, and breath fresheners use products similarly
- Flavor trumps brand, price in all three segments
- Millennials possibly confused about ingredients
- Millennials purchase for mental, emotional stimulation
- Flavor innovation key across segments
- Breath fresheners could use friendlier packaging
Perceptions of Gum, Mints and Breath Fresheners
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- Breath freshening, removing bad mouth taste top purchase reasons for all
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- Figure 32: Reasons for purchasing, June 2015
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- Figure 33: Desirable characteristics, by gum, mint, and breath freshener purchases
Most Appealing Product Characteristic
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- Flavor trumps brand, price in all segments
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- Figure 34: Desirable characteristics, June 2015
Views on Ingredients
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- Concern about sugar, artificial ingredients could be unfounded
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- Figure 35: Attitudes toward gum, mints and breath fresheners, by generation, any agree, June 2015
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- Figure 36: Desirable characteristics, by generation, June 2015
Expanded Usage for Products
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- Opportunity for dieting-focused gum
- Mints, breath fresheners could help women diet
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- Figure 37: Purchasing gums, mints, and breath fresheners to prevent eating, by gender, June 2015
Gum and Wellbeing
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- Millennials desire gum that stimulates them mentally, emotionally
- Demand could arrive for functional mints, breath fresheners
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- Figure 38: Reasons for purchasing gum, among Millennials, June 2015
Innovation
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- Seasonal flavors offer innovation opportunities
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- Figure 39: Interest in product innovation in gum, mints and breath fresheners, any agree, June 2015
- Discreet packaging offers innovation opportunities in breath fresheners
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 40: Total US retail sales and forecast of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
- Figure 41: Total US retail sales and forecast of sugarless gum, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
- Figure 42: Total US retail sales and forecast of regular gum, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
- Figure 43: Total US retail sales and forecast of breath fresheners, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
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- Figure 44: Total US retail sales and forecast of plain mints, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
- Figure 45: Total US retail sales of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, by channel, at current prices, 2010-15
- Figure 46: Total US retail sales of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, by channel, at current prices, 2013 and 2015
- Figure 47: Natural supermarket sales of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 06/16/13 - 06/14/15
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- Figure 48: Natural supermarket sales of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, by organic ingredients, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 06/16/13 - 06/14/15
- Figure 49: Natural supermarket sales of gum, mints, and breath fresheners, by presence of alternative sweetener, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 06/16/13 - 06/14/15
- Figure 50: Natural supermarket sales of breath fresheners, by flavor, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 06/16/13 - 06/14/15
- Figure 51: Natural supermarket sales of breath fresheners, by flavor, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 06/16/13 - 06/14/15
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- Figure 52: Natural supermarket sales of gum and mints, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 06/16/13 - 06/14/15
- Figure 53: Natural supermarket sales of breath fresheners, by form, at current prices, rolling 52-weeks ending 06/16/13 - 06/14/15
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