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Our Confectionery Industry Analysis pulls together the key figures from our 2025 report to show which sweets and snacks brands are winning online, and where the next SEO opportunities are hiding.
We’ve analysed our 2025 report, which ranks the top 100 online sweets and snacks brands by visibility, traffic scores, page speed, brand reach and keyword trends. The sector saw an overall visibility rise of 11%, yet clear winners and losers emerged. The report includes:
- An analysis of 100+ confectionery brands
- Top keyword opportunities and search trends
- Visibility, traffic and brand reach benchmarks
- Page speed and SEO performance indicators
Download The Full 69 Page Report
Latest insights from the 2025 Confectionery Report
- cadbury.co.uk has leapt ahead in visibility, up
51% YoY, outgrowing the market average by over
40%. - thorntons.com nearly doubled its traffic YoY, with a 92% spike that places it among the highest performers this year.
- “chewing gum” is the most competitive keyword this year, with 14,000 monthly UK searches.
- “British chocolate bars” shows untapped potential with low competition and meaningful search demand.
Accommodating the HFSS ad ban
This market has been through a significant change. The HFSS advertising ban came into motion in October 2025, and brands marketing high-fat, sugar and salt products are now under strict new rules:
- No HFSS ads on TV before 9 pm
- No paid digital HFSS ads (search, display, social, influencer)
- Applies to businesses with 250+ staff
- Organic content and B2B activity remain exempt
- Enforced by ASA (online) and Ofcom (TV)
- Penalties include public rulings, takedowns and fines
What this means: When big-budget competitors hit pause on paid, organic becomes the fastest route to hold share of voice. SERPs are the new battleground.
Which confectionery brands dominate organic visibility?
Organic visibility snapshot (Traffic Score, 2025)
| Rank | Brand | Traffic Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hotel Chocolat | 354,303 |
| 2 | Cadbury | 250,104 |
| 3 | Cadbury Gifts Direct | 241,872 |
| 4 | Lindt | 240,314 |
| 5 | Fortnum and Mason | 168,810 |
| 6 | Thorntons | 166,859 |
| 7 | Bettys | 82,260 |
| 8 | Hancocks | 73,268 |
| 9 | Wholesale Sweets | 56,126 |
| 10 | Candy Mail | 51,304 |
Key insight: Organic traffic is the clearest indicator for who captures demand from Google. Hotel Chocolat leads by a distance, but the gap to Cadbury narrows month by month as Cadbury visibility accelerates.
Which keywords offer the biggest SEO opportunities?
Opportunity keywords (high demand, low competition)
| Keyword | UK monthly searches | Competition score |
|---|---|---|
| British chocolate bars | 600 | 5 |
| Sweet hamper | 1,100 | 5 |
| Chocolate gift box | 1,800 | 4 |
| Swedish candy | 1,800 | 5 |
| Bonbon | 2,300 | 10 |
These terms are ripe for targeted category pages, gift hubs and editorial-led content. They also lend themselves to digital PR because they are easy to package into seasonal angles and product-led stories.
Which confectionery brands have the best online reviews?
Review sentiment snapshot (2025)
| Brand | Review score | Review count |
|---|---|---|
| Bettys | 4.7 | 28,581 |
| Chocolate Trading Co | 4.8 | 18,682 |
| Sweetzy | 4.3 | 29,982 |
| Monmore Confectionery | 4.8 | 9,347 |
| Hotel Chocolat | 3.9 | 58,550 |
| Fortnum and Mason | 4.2 | 25,704 |
| Funky Hampers | 4.7 | 5,511 |
| The Sweet Store | 4.8 | 4,045 |
| Candy Mail | 4.6 | 3,231 |
| Sponge | 4.5 | 4,023 |
Which confectionery brands are most prominent online?
Brand prominence (branded search + owned social score)
| Brand | Monthly brand searches | Owned Social Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ferrero Rocher | 90,500 | 38,030 |
| Lindt | 40,500 | 14,350 |
| Hotel Chocolat | 368,000 | 971 |
| Fortnum and Mason | 246,000 | 1,342 |
| Cadbury | 74,000 | 2,490 |
| Snickers | 27,100 | 820 |
| Jelly Belly | 6,600 | 3,000 |
| Tony’s Chocolonely | 40,500 | 403 |
| Thorntons | 60,500 | 258 |
| Bettys | 33,100 | 432 |
Owned social reach increasingly influences how brands show up in discovery. A strong audience drives more navigational demand, and brand queries feed Google’s entity understanding.
Key moves to make following the HFSS ban
The HFSS ban is a major opportunity for search-first marketers. Brands that act now can win share while competitors adjust their paid strategies. Here’s what to go for:
- Hunt for low-competition SERP gold with niche content hubs and long-tail categories
- Move early on trending products with first-mover landing pages and supporting PR
- Rethink search and storytelling with guides that earn links and build brand memory
Action point: If your organic curve is flat while the market rises, you are losing share. Use the next quarter to build the pages you will rely on when paid options shrink.
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