The party starters

No get-together or guising night is complete without some themed confectionery

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Swizzles’ themed variety bags offer different combinations of the company’s familiar retro-style sweets. The Drumstick Lolly gets an orange and black stripy makeover for the season, while Fruity Pops gets a gruesome new look.

SWIZZELS’ themed variety bags are back for Halloween 2014, with bold new designs and imagery to attract consumers stocking up for the seasonal rush on sweets.

Inside the bags, the company says, many of the wrappers have been redesigned. Lot of Lollies now features a new Cola Fizzy Pop and a new Strawberry and Cream flavour Drumstick Lolly. On the back of pack, consumers have the chance to collect tokens for a limited edition Swizzels tin.
The Trick or Sweet bag contains Double Lollies, Parma Violets, Refreshers, Love Hearts, Fruity Pops and Drumstick Lollies with a Halloween twist. RRP is £1.
The Trick or Treat Lolly Mix contains a selection of Halloween-themed lollies, including Monster Double Lollies, orange and black Drumstick Lollies and pumpkin-themed Fruity Pops. RRP is £3.
Swizzels also recommends its Party Mix tub of its classic products: Love Hearts, Double Lollies, Refreshers, Fruity Pops and Fizzers, RRP £5.
Sarah-Louise Heslop, marketing manager at Swizzels, said: “Halloween is a time to celebrate and our spooky selections are ideal for Halloween parties. The creepy collections contain a variety of all our old favourite sweet treats perfect for trick or treating.”

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Vampire Fangs, Chewits’ Halloween line, only appears in the autumn. They are fang-flavoured fruit jellies, RRP £1.39. The company says this offers “true seasonal-specific NPD as opposed to all-year-round products”.

• Chewits has identified a new trend in Halloween shopping. “Due to the recession consumers are becoming more imaginative and moving outside of seasonal confectionery when looking for their trick-or-treating products,” said Bev Rushbrook, trade marketing manager of brand owner, Cloetta UK. “They are creating their own bespoke Halloween confectionery bundles for doorstep and party sharing. In view of this retailers need to ensure that they are offering competitively priced products.
“Doorstep sharing confectionery is a must stock for retailers so that individually wrapped products can be shared hygienically and aren’t too expensive to hand out for free.”
Rushbrook nominates the newly launched Chewmix Share Bags as perfect for doorstep sharing.
“Additionally Chewits PMP multipacks offer great value to consumers as they offer four full-size packs, in Chewits’ most popular flavours,” she said.
She advises tailoring Halloween merchandising to families, as households with children are more likely to celebrate Halloween saying: “We have noted that retailers trade successfully with a dedicated children’s display of pocket-money treats. At Halloween many children attend parties and events to celebrate the occasion, so adults purchasing sugar confectionery for these parties and should not be overlooked.
“It is also important that retailers have a focused Halloween fixture offering a range of good-value items, both confectionery and non-confectionery.”

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