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Gum, Mints and Breath Fresheners - US - September 2015

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Definition
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The issues
Gum sales on the decline; mint, breath freshener sales rising
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
Figure 2: Number of people chewing gum, 2004-15
Freshness-focused products are key
Figure 3: Reasons for purchasing, June 2015
Flavor more important than brand, cost
Figure 4: Desirable characteristics, June 2015
The opportunities
Innovation key for gum
Figure 5: Reasons for purchasing gum, by demographics, June 2015
Mints, breath fresheners winning some gum purchasers
Figure 6: Percentage change in sales of mints and breath fresheners, at current prices, 2010-20
Millennials concerned about artificial ingredients
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
Mints, breath fresheners are the sweet spot
Sales of gum deflating
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Gum dragging down overall category
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
Figure 10: Total US retail sales of sugarless gum, by channel, at current prices, 2010-15
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
Mints benefitting from gum’s problems
Figure 14: Total US retail sales and forecast of plain mints, at current prices, 2010-20
Breath fresheners see strongest growth
Figure 15: Total US retail sales and forecast of breath fresheners, at current prices, 2010-20
Gum in decline, sugarless more than regular
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
Figure 18: Total US retail sales and forecast of regular gum, at current prices, 2010-20
MARKET FACTORS
Decline in smoking could be affecting gum sales
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
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
Mars dominates overall category with nearly 50% share
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
Figure 21: Mentos commercial for Pure Fresh gum
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
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
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
Figure 25: MULO sales of breath fresheners, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
WHAT’S WORKING?
Sugarless gum brands focus on minty freshness
Figure 26: MULO sales of Wrigley’s 5 Ascent sugarless gum
Co-branding creates interest in gum
Figure 27: MULO sales of Juicy Fruit gum with Starburst flavors sugarless gum
Focus on cooling sensation drives sales of mints
Figure 28: MULO sales of Altoids Arctic mints
A message of confidence helps breath freshener sales
WHAT’S STRUGGLING?
Changing brand focus in gum a risky deal
Private label mint sales struggle
Freshening strips sales flat
Figure 29: MULO sales of Listerine PocketPaks breath-freshening strips
WHAT’S NEXT?
Xylitol-sweetened gums, mints, breath fresheners to continue growth
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
Figure 31: Ice Breakers Cool Blasts TV advertisement
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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
Breath freshening, removing bad mouth taste top purchase reasons for all
Figure 32: Reasons for purchasing, June 2015
Figure 33: Desirable characteristics, by gum, mint, and breath freshener purchases
MOST APPEALING PRODUCT CHARACTERISTIC
Flavor trumps brand, price in all segments
Figure 34: Desirable characteristics, June 2015
VIEWS ON INGREDIENTS
Concern about sugar, artificial ingredients could be unfounded
Figure 35: Attitudes toward gum, mints and breath fresheners, by generation, any agree, June 2015
Figure 36: Desirable characteristics, by generation, June 2015
EXPANDED USAGE FOR PRODUCTS
Opportunity for dieting-focused gum
Mints, breath fresheners could help women diet
Figure 37: Purchasing gums, mints, and breath fresheners to prevent eating, by gender, June 2015
GUM AND WELLBEING
Millennials desire gum that stimulates them mentally, emotionally
Demand could arrive for functional mints, breath fresheners
Figure 38: Reasons for purchasing gum, among Millennials, June 2015
INNOVATION
Seasonal flavors offer innovation opportunities
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
Data sources
Sales data
Fan chart forecast
Consumer survey data
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
APPENDIX – MARKET
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
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
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
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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