The five most important "seasons" for marketing of chocolate and confectionery in Europe are Valentine's Day, Easter, spring, summer and Christmas, delegates to an industry conference said.
Chocolate and confectionery companies need to innovate marketing strategies to counter a slide in consumption during the hot summer months, said Olaf Wilcke, director of international sales of German confectionery group Zentis.
The increasing popularity in Europe of a largely American celebration of Halloween has created a valuable marketing opportunity by shortening the "wait until Christmas", he told a two-day international chocolate and confectionery conference.
"Companies that innovate, look ahead or anticipate customers' needs will be successful," Wilcke said. "Seasonality and specific events lead to additional turnover."
Some 40 percent of chocolate sales in Europe take place in the first quarter of the year, largely at Easter and on occasions such as Valentine's and Mother's Days, Wilcke said.
Some of the best chocolate sales in Europe take place on Maundy Thursday and the Saturday before Easter, he added.
"Chocolate and confectionery manufacturers today need to have more imagination to find ways out of the summer sales hole," Wilcke said.
Some manufacturers try to boost summer sales with special summer products, combining chocolate with new taste variations like rapberry-lemon-yoghurt.
According to the EU chocolate industry group Caobisco, the confectionery industry in the 25-nation EU includes 1,895 companies employing 270,320 people, with an annual consumption per capita of 22.5 kg. of confectionery products.
Consumer habits are shifting increasingly to "impulse buying" and a "snack-society" as people lead busier, more mobile lives, delegates said.
"Points for purchase of snacks and confectionery change from supermarkets to petrol stations, airport shops or railway station kiosks," Wilcke said.
The conference, sponsored by Agra Informa Ltd, ends on Tuesday.