The Chocolate Segment in Japan registered a Market volume of 146.87 million kilograms in 2025
The indicator recorded a historical decline (CAGR) of 2.26% between 2022 to 2025, and is expected to decline by...
GlobalData projects the indicator to decline at a CAGR of...
Market volume of Chocolate Segment in Japan, 2018 - 2025 ( Million Kilograms)
Chocolate segment in Japan
The chocolate confectionery market consists of boxed chocolate, chocolate countlines, chocolate straightlines, molded bars, novelties, and other chocolates.
The Japanese market has been decelerating for a sustained period and it is expected that the country will not improve its growth levels in this market within the forecast period. In Japan like many other developed markets, the primary area for growth in recent years has been from more premium products with premium companies benefiting. This includes products that have moved away from classic chocolate varieties into a period where more experimental and high cocoa options are become preferred. But also developments in healthier chocolate lines are helping to drive the market, but not so much that it will move the market out of this period of low growth.
Category segmentation
The chocolate confectionery market is categorized into six major segments – Molded bars, Chocolate countlines, Chocolate straightlines, Boxed Chocolate, Novelties, and Other chocolate. Molded bars is the largest segment of the chocolate confectionery market in Japan.
Competitive landscape
The Japanese chocolate confectionery market is concentrated, with the top three players accounting for a majority stake of the total market value. A majority of the leading companies are present in many geographical regions, producing a range of other confectionery products and soft drinks, which makes them much less reliant on the chocolate confectionery market. These factors defend their margins against local fluctuations. Switching costs for consumers and retailers are low, however, products differentiated both by inherent characteristics and by strong branding should allow players to maintain their hold on consumers, and so weaken rivalry. In a business where automated, high-volume manufacturing is the norm, implementation of capacity-increasing measures is easy, and fixed costs are high. Both these factors act as drivers of rivalry. Overall, there is a moderate degree of rivalry.
Market distribution
Independent Retailers form the leading distribution channel in the Japanese chocolate confectionery market.
Who are the leading players?
Ezaki Glico is a Japan-based company that is engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling food products. The company manufactures a range of confectionery, ice creams, processed meat products, and health-related food products. It has operations in the US, Japan, Canada, China, France, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Lotte Group (Lotte or 'the group') is a business conglomerate involved in the food sector, the retail sector, the tourism sector, the petrochemicals sector, and construction. The group has operations in South Korea, Russia, China, Japan, India, the US, and other East Asian countries. The group's business is divided into six segments: food; retail; tourism; petrochemistry, construction, and manufacturing; finance; and service, study, and foundation.
Meiji operates the food segment through Meiji Co. The food segment consists of the group's dairy, confectionery, healthcare and nutrition, and other businesses. The dairy business offers drinking milk, yogurt, beverages, cheese, butter, frozen food, processed food products, and products for professional use. The confectionery business includes manufacturing and distribution of confectionery (chocolate, chewing gum, and candy) and ice-creams.
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