Chocolate holiday: sweet New Year gifts will cost at least 700-800 rubles
Russians are actively buying up New Year sweets, according to data from trading sites. They spend at least 700-800 rubles on them. The average check for children's holiday sets of sweets has increased this year by 12-13%, but the volume of sales has increased year-on-year, analysts have calculated. This is explained by the later demand for New Year's goods because of the warm fall, as well as the desire of employers against the background of staff hunger to strengthen the social package and to please the children of employees, experts believe. It is important to pay attention to the composition and shelf life of sweets in the set, doctors reminded.
How much a sweet gift will cost
Sweet gifts weighing 500-600 g cost an average of 791 rubles to Russians this year, according to data from the analytical center "Chek Index" company "Platform OFD". For a set of sweets weighing from 800 g to a kilogram it is necessary to pay Br1.3 thousand.
Average checks for the year increased by 12-13%, but buying gifts in early December became more active by 10-15% than a year earlier, analysts calculated. They explain it by the pent-up demand due to the warmer fall. Russians started buying New Year's sweets together with other New Year's paraphernalia, the demand for which also began later than usual.
- This year more people buy sweet gifts in the volume of 800-1000g, while in the past they chose 500-600g. Mostly buy sets, which are designed primarily for children of primary and secondary school age, - said analysts "Chek Index".
They explain the growth of the average check by the increase in prices for cocoa beans all over the world, as well as the general growth of consumption in the country.
The steady growth in demand for New Year's gifts can also be associated with increased attention of employers to the social program, said Denis Goldman, an independent PR consultant.
- If previously some employers neglected New Year gifts for children of employees, but now, in a situation of staff hunger, this is another reason to increase employee loyalty even in very small organizations, - he said.
What other sweets are bought up for the New Year
Before the New Year holidays, sales of not only children's sets of sweets, but also of sweets in general have increased, confirmed trading sites. Thus, in December, sales of flour confectionery and candy sets increased compared to November, follows from the data of Ozon Fresh.
- Customers prefer to buy large portions, such as sets of pastries and large cakes, or assortment of sweets, which are suitable for the whole family, - explained there.
During this period, the average check for sweets also grows, as buyers seek to pamper themselves and loved ones, as well as to decorate the holiday table.
According to Avito, for the first ten days of December, Russians bought 80% more various sweets than in the same period last year. Sweet gift sets increased in sales by 2.2 times, and their average cost amounted to 800 rubles.
On Wildberries on the eve of the New Year the demand for sweets in festive design increased by 82%. In addition to sets, marmalade and bar chocolate were also among the top sellers.
Interest in sweets this year began to grow in the last week of November, reported in the service of ordering ready-made food and products "Yandex Lavka" - they were ordered one and a half times more than a year earlier. Chocolate with milk filling, nut paste and chocolate dragees were especially popular.
Chocolate-covered strawberries and bouquets of fruits and berries can supplant traditional sweets and chocolate as New Year's gifts and desserts on the holiday table, according to Alexander Devyatkin, analytics director of Flowwow flowers and gifts marketplace.
- Chocolate-covered strawberries are the most affordable fruit or berry gift. At the same time it makes a bright impression: sellers add to it decorations made of edible gold, nuts and different types of chocolate, - he said.
Interest in such desserts was also confirmed on Avito: chocolate-covered strawberries and edible bouquets were among the three most popular items in December this year, second only to traditional chocolate. Their sales year-on-year have grown two to three times. The average cost of such strawberries, as well as fruit bouquets, amounted to Br1.1 thousand.
The main interest in sweet gifts begins two weeks before the New Year, added Alexander Devyatkin. It is during this period that Russians begin to congratulate loved ones, with whom they will not see on the festive night.
How to choose a sweet gift
When choosing sweet gifts for the New Year, it is important to pay attention to the composition, doctors reminded Izvestia. It is better to avoid products with artificial additives, such as flavor and aroma enhancers, as well as preservatives, oils and fats of unnatural origin, recommended pediatrician "Family Clinic" on Chasovaya Maria Vorotintseva.
- Make sure that the list of all sweets is indicated on the package. If the gift includes a toy, it should be in a separate package, and the toy itself should have all the necessary information, including the composition and country of production, - she said.
The packaging should be intact and the expiration date should be up to date. The doctor recommended to pay attention to the reputation of the manufacturer, as well-known brands usually carefully control the quality of their products. According to her, you should buy sweets on official sites.
- As for the sweets themselves, pay attention to their nutritional value. During the New Year holidays, when the table is already full of treats, it is better to give preference to less caloric options, such as marshmallows, marmalade or marshmallow, - said Maria Vorotintseva.
Children under three years old, according to her, it is better to avoid sweets altogether, as their digestive system is still underdeveloped. For children under six, it is recommended to limit candy consumption to one or two pieces a day. More natural products such as marshmallows or dried fruit can be allowed in larger quantities. Children over the age of six can eat two to three pieces of candy a day, but it is important to monitor the total amount of sugar intake.
Excess sweets can cause inflammation and imbalance of the hormonal system, cautioned Olga Shuppo, founder and scientific director of the Grand Clinic network of clinics of immunorehabilitation, adaptive and preventive medicine. For example, the abuse of sweets can provoke candidiasis - one of the varieties of fungal infection in the intestines.
To avoid tooth decay, which can be provoked by sweets, it is important to offer the child to rinse the mouth after eating sweets, as well as to brush teeth thoroughly, reminded Anton Khmarenko, Chief Doctor of AXDent Dental Clinic.
