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The market for cakes and cookies in Europe is completely different compared to the market for cakes and cookies in Japan.
When during the day people eat cakes and cookies in Europe? This is mainly while enjoying a cup of coffee or a cup of tea. Basically this could be any moment during the day. I would say the more important moment to eat cakes and/or cookies is while drinking a cup of coffee or tea after the evening dinner.
In Europe most of the cakes and cookies are being sold at a supermarket level. Products do seem to have quite a long PLC. And there is very little innovation. Not at the product level itself nor at the level of the packaging/presentation.
An exception on that rule would be the segment of kids products which has become quite popular. Parents buy these products to put it inside the kid’s lunch box. This is the so called 10AM snack item. Usually it comes in a multi pack format containing five (5) to six (6) single packed snack items. In order to make the products more appealing to kids the producer is very often using licensed characters like e.g. Winnie de Pooh, Sponge Bob, Dora, Shrek etc.
Next to the supermarkets cakes and cookies can be found at local bakery shops (fresh products) and gas stations. Especially the last category has grown quite a lot over the past couple of years. The product portfolio is consisting of single packed on-the-go food items. Unlike in Japan in Europe C-stores are not very popular. To a certain extent this gap is being taken by the gas stations.
There is nothing like one European cake and cookie market. Every single country in Europe has got cake or cookie items which are specific fort hat particular country. Examples are the Syrup Waffre in The Netherlands, the Panettone in Italy and pancakes in the UK and Ireland.
As a result of the current economical crisis there is strong tendency towards buying cheaper private label products instead of the known brands.
Another big difference with Japan is that cakes and cookies are not at all being considered as a gift item. If we go and visit friends or family we normally bring flowers instead.
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