Stagnant Consumer Sentiment and a Challenging Earnings Environment for Confectionery Manufacturers

「The total value of sales in the candy market was slightly above the same period of the previous year. The market value of sales in our core candy category, our main business, fell below the same period of the previous year due to weaker demand for throat lozenges. The gummy category had been expanding in recent years, led by hard gummies, but increased only slightly from the same period of the previous year.」

「The candy market remained strong, and sales value exceeded the prior year in each category and for the market as a whole.」

「The candy market remained strong, with sales value exceeding the prior year in each category and for the market as a whole. In our core domains, the candy category continued to benefit from solid throat-lozenge demand, while the gummy category continued to post strong growth, led mainly by hard gummies.」

「キャンディ市場におきましては、価格改定の浸透もあり、各カテゴリー並びに市場全体でも販売金額は前年を上回って推移しています。当社の主要ドメインについては、飴カテゴリーは、セルフケアの高まり継続によりのど飴が堅調に推移し、グミカテゴリーは、ハード系商品が牽引し高い成長を続けております。」

「キャンディ市場は、価格改定の浸透もあり、各カテゴリー並びに市場全体でも販売金額は前年を上回って推移しています。」

「The strong growth of the gummy category continued, and, together with higher prices, drove a significant increase from the previous fiscal year and led the overall candy market's growth.」

「キャンディ市場におきましては、飴カテゴリーは、人流回復による食シーンの拡大下、昨年からのオミクロン株感染拡大の影響や花粉飛散量増加によるセルフケアの高まり等から、のど飴が牽引し前年同期を上回りました。また、好調なグミカテゴリーの伸長は継続しており、前年同期比で大きく増加し、市場全体においても、コロナ禍からの需要回復と価格の上昇も相俟って前年同期比で増加しております。」

「更に、雇用・所得環境も改善し、新型コロナウイルス感染症が５類感染症へ移行したことも背景に個人消費は持ち直し、景気は緩やかに回復しています。しかしながら、世界的な金融引締めの継続下、海外景気の下振れが景気下押しのリスクとなっており、物価上昇や金融資本市場の変動等の動向など先行きは依然不透明な状態が継続しています。」

「当第１四半期累計期間（以下、「当第１四半期」）におけるわが国経済は、ウィズコロナへの移行が進み、人流の拡大やインバウンド需要の回復もあり、景気は緩やかに持ち直しています。しかしながら、世界的な金融引締めに伴う影響による景気下振れリスクに加え、物価の上昇や供給不安、金融資本市場の変動等のリスクなど先行きは依然不透明な状態が継続しています。 キャンディ市場におきましては、飴カテゴリーは、人流回復による食シーンの拡大下、昨年からのオミクロン株感染拡大の影響や花粉飛散量増加により、のど飴を中心に前年同期比で増加しております。グミカテゴリーは好調が継続しており、前年同期比で大きく増加し、キャンディ市場全体の伸長を牽引しております。」

「キャンディ市場におきましては、飴カテゴリーは、コロナ禍により減少した人流の回復と共に、のどケア需要の高まりもあり前年比増加に転じました。成長基調に回帰したグミカテゴリーは前期比で大きく伸長し、輸入品の伸びも市場を活性化させ、キャンディ市場全体の拡大を牽引しております。」

「当第３四半期累計期間（以下、「当第３四半期」）におけるわが国経済は、新型コロナウイルスの感染「第６波」・「第７波」に見舞われるも、ウィズコロナの新たな段階への移行と共に経済社会活動の正常化が進み、個人消費も緩やかな持ち直しの動きが見られました。しかしながら、長期化するウクライナ情勢等の影響による原材料価格の上昇や、世界的金融引締め下において金融資本市場の変動等のリスクが顕在化し、急激な円安など先行き不透明な状態が継続しています。 キャンディ市場におきましては、飴カテゴリーは、コロナ禍による人流の減少・マスク生活常態化による消費落ち込みからは回復し、のどケア需要の高まりもあり前年比増加に転じました。昨年５月より成長基調に回帰したグミカテゴリーは依然好調に推移しており、前年同期比で大きく伸長し、キャンディ市場全体の拡大を牽引しております。」

「当第２四半期累計期間（以下、「当第２四半期」）におけるわが国経済は、新型コロナウイルス新規感染者数の減少により、経済社会活動の正常化が進み、個人消費にも持ち直しの動きが見られました。しかしながら、長期化するウクライナ情勢等の影響により原材料価格の上昇や金融資本市場の変動等のリスクが顕在化し、新型コロナウイルスの感染「第７波」の急拡大など先行き不透明な状態が継続しています。 キャンディ市場におきましては、飴カテゴリーは、前年同期の人流減少・マスク生活浸透によるのど飴等の消費落ち込みからは回復し、前年比増加に転じました。昨年５月より成長基調に回帰したグミカテゴリーは依然好調に推移しており、前年同期比で大きく増加し、キャンディ市場全体の拡大を牽引しております。」

「当第１四半期累計期間におけるわが国経済は、変異株による新型コロナウイルス感染症の再拡大により、多数の地域でまん延防止等重点措置が適用され、個人消費の持ち直しにも足踏みが見られました。３月には同措置は全面的に解除されたものの、ウクライナ情勢等の影響により原材料価格の上昇や金融資本市場の変動等のリスクなど先行き不透明な状態が継続しています。 キャンディ市場におきましては、飴カテゴリーは、前年同期の人流減少・マスク生活浸透によるのど飴等の消費落ち込みからは回復し、前年比増加に転じました。昨年５月より成長基調に回帰したグミカテゴリーは依然好調に推移しており、前年同期比で大きく増加しております。」

「キャンディ市場におきましては、度重なる緊急事態宣言等の発出による人流の減少やマスク着用の常態化の影響により消費が落ち込み、市場全体では前期比減少となりました。一方で、グミカテゴリーについては在宅消費の増加により回復に転じ、前期比増加となりました。」

「Although the candy market was showing signs of recovery, consumption declined due to reduced foot traffic caused by repeated declarations of a state of emergency and the normalization of mask-wearing, resulting in a year-on-year decline for the market as a whole. In contrast, the gummy category increased year on year across all channels.」

「Although the candy market was beginning to recover, consumption declined because of continuing restrictions on movement and the widespread use of masks, resulting in a year-on-year decline for the market as a whole. By contrast, the gummy category began to recover across all channels and increased year on year.」

「Private consumption also remained weak. In the candy market, consumption of throat lozenges and other products declined because of increased time spent at home and the widespread use of masks, resulting in a year-on-year decline in the candy category. The gummy category also declined year on year, although it was showing signs of recovery recently, as the decline in office demand caused by the spread of working from home continued.」

「In the candy market, the decline in office and leisure consumption caused by the spread of working from home and continued new infections exceeded the increase in at-home consumption. As a result, demand fell sharply across all categories, including candy and gummies, mainly through convenience-store channels.」

「As working from home became more widespread and new infections continued to emerge, declines in office and leisure demand, mainly through convenience-store channels, continued. The candy market, which was heavily affected by these factors, declined year on year in both the candy and gummy categories.」

「The candy market was heavily affected by this factor, and both the candy and gummy categories declined year on year.」

「In the candy market, the candy category increased year on year, mainly through drugstore channels, while the gummy category declined year on year, affected by voluntary restrictions on going out and declines in leisure and office demand resulting from working from home.」

「In the candy market, the gummy category, which had continued to expand in recent years, declined from the prior period as growth stalled, while the candy category, which had been gradually declining through the year before last, again increased from the prior period.」

「In the candy market, the gummy category, which had continued to expand in recent years, declined slightly year on year, while the candy category, which had been declining through the year before last, again exceeded the prior-year period, supported by growth in throat lozenges. The candy market as a whole therefore increased year on year.」

「In the candy market, the gummy market, which had performed well in recent years, fell below the prior-year level, while the candy market, which had been declining through the year before last, exceeded the prior-year period, driven in part by continued growth in throat lozenges. The market as a whole therefore increased year on year.」

「Japan's economy remained on a gradual recovery path during the cumulative first quarter under review, with private consumption showing signs of recovery despite weakness in some exports and production. Although the gummy market, which had performed well in recent years, grew only slightly, the candy market, which had been declining through the year before last, exceeded the prior-year period, driven in part by continued growth in throat lozenges. The market as a whole therefore increased year on year.」

「As the gummy market continued to grow steadily and the candy market, which had been declining through the year before last, shifted to an upward trend, the market as a whole increased year on year.」

「Although international trade tensions and higher crude oil prices remained concerns, the economy continued to recover gradually, and private consumption also continued to increase gradually as employment and income conditions improved. In the candy market, despite the negative impact of extremely hot summer weather, consumption of both candy and gummies grew steadily, resulting in a slight year-on-year increase in the market as a whole.」

「Although private consumption is recovering, consumer sentiment has stalled due to rising consumer prices and the outlook remains uncertain. In the candy market, candy consumption was roughly in line with the prior year, while gummy consumption grew steadily, resulting in a slight year-on-year increase in the market as a whole.」

「During the nine months ended in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, Japan's economy remained on a gradual recovery track as employment conditions continued to improve and domestic consumer sentiment also showed signs of recovery. In the candy market, gummy consumption remained strong, while candy consumption, which had been trending downward in recent years, showed signs of bottoming out. As a result, the candy market as a whole increased slightly year on year.」

「Japan's economy continued to recover gradually during the fiscal year as employment and income conditions improved, and signs of a recovery in domestic consumer sentiment also emerged. However, although gummy consumption remained strong, candy consumption continued to contract, leaving the candy market as a whole in challenging conditions and slightly below the prior period.」

「As employment and income conditions continued to improve, the economy entered a gradual recovery phase, and signs of a recovery in domestic consumer sentiment also emerged. However, although gummy consumption remained strong, candy consumption continued to decline despite falling temperatures after August providing a tailwind. The candy market as a whole therefore remained challenging, declining slightly year on year.」

「In the candy market, consumer sentiment remained stagnant, and as the market continued to trend slightly below the prior-year level, manufacturers continued to face a challenging earnings environment.」

「In the candy market, consumer sentiment remained stagnant, and with private consumption lacking strength, manufacturers continued to face a challenging earnings environment.」

「Although the economy showed signs of a gradual recovery during the fiscal year, consumption continued to lack momentum and uncertainty over the economic outlook persisted. Meanwhile, in the candy market, the gummy market remained firm amid increasingly diverse consumption patterns, but the candy market as a whole continued to face challenging conditions, partly due to the effects of unfavorable weather from the summer onward.」

「During the nine months ended in the third quarter of the current fiscal year, Japan's economy showed signs of improvement in employment conditions. However, amid continued uncertainty over the economic outlook due to the slowdown in overseas economies and sluggish stock prices, consumer sentiment remained weak and confectionery manufacturers continued to face a challenging earnings environment.」

「Consumer sentiment remained stagnant in the confectionery industry, and manufacturers continued to face a challenging earnings environment.」