Summary of our market study

The French ice-cream and sorbet market is estimated at 1.8 billion euros.

The global ice cream and sorbet market is growing at an annual rate of 5%, and is worth around $90 billion. The main global players are Unilever, Mars, Nestlé, Froneri and General Mills.

French consumers show strong seasonal trends in their ice cream consumption, with marked increases during the summer and the festive season. The market is characterized by a wide and diversified product range, with a trend towards mini-formats, new flavors and artisanal products.

Much of the market's value is concentrated on a few product types, such as sticks and cones.

Trends in demand for ice creams and sorbets in France

88% of French people consume ice creams and sorbets. On average, French households make around 8 purchases a year for these products, spending over 45 euros a year, with an average basket per purchase of around 6 euros. Per capita consumption of ice cream in France is around 6 liters a year, which is slightly below the European regional average of between 6 and 7 liters a year.

Italian ice cream is the favorite. More than two-thirds of French consumers consider ice cream to be a convivial product, perceived as a secondary after-dinner treat.

People under 35 are the least likely to consume ice cream, with an average of around 5.3 kg per year. In contrast, people aged 35 to 49 not only have a higher penetration rate, of around 90%, but also consume almost 7 kg of ice cream a year.

The French ice cream market is experiencing an increase in both sales and consumption. The market is highly concentrated among a few global groups. Unilever has a market share of over 30%.

There is a wide variety of products on the market, differing in flavor, format and type, with the mini-format and artisanal ice-cream segments developing rapidly

Ice cream and sorbet market players

Unilever: a market leader in the ice cream and sorbet category with the Magnum, Cornetto, Ben & Jerry's and Popsicle brands.
Nestlé: With a significant share of the ice cream market, Nestlé's presence is marked by well-established brands such as Kit Kat, Extreme and Dreyer's. Products range from family ice cream to Italian ice cream. Products range from family-size tubs to convenient single-serve sticks, demonstrating Nestlé's ability to adapt to a variety of consumption scenarios.
General Mills: best known for its iconic Häagen-Dazs brand
Mars: with iced versions of popular confectionery such as Mars, Snickers, Twix and Bounty.
Froneri: a joint venture between Nestlé and PAI Partners, Froneri has become a major entity focusing exclusively on the frozen confectionery sector (Nestlé Ice Creams, Oreo, Milka and Kit Kat)
The market is also home to a large number of artisanal brands, such as Amorino, O Sorbet d'Amour, etc.
Supermarket chains have also carved out a significant share of the ice cream market with their private labels.

the ice cream and sorbet market - France

Get all the information you need
to understand this market

Buy the full study

Detailed content of our market study

Inforamtion

Number of pages : 35 pages
Format : Digital and PDF versions
Last update : 02/12/2021

Summary and extracts

1 Market overview

1.1 Presentation and definition of the ice cream and sorbet market

The ice is a food made from from milk, sugar, fruit and a variety of flavours . A sorbet consists solely of sugar syrup and fruit pulp or flavorings .

There are different types of ice cream available in the shops: cones and sticks (sometimes sold individually), ice cream specialities to share (logs and ice cream cakes) or even fruit tubs and jars of ice cream and sorbets sold in GSA (Large Food Stores).

In terms of volume, the home consumption market is dominated by individual specialities (cones, sticks, etc.) and bulk sorbets and ice cream (particularly fruit tubs), with the remainder consisting of seasonal collective specialities (Christmas logs, etc.). It is the snack ice segment that plays the most important role in the sale of ice cream during the summer period and ice cream consumption varies considerably during the year and from one year to the next, depending on the weather conditions.

The world market for ice cream and sorbets was estimated at 57.9 billion in 2018 . It is expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 4.9% between 2019 and 2025 to reach $84.9 billion by 2025. The global market is highly fragmented, but some of the main market players include Unilever, Mars, Nestlé, General Mills, Lotte and Dunkin' Brands

In France, the ice cream industry is made up of a multitude of companies, and the players in the sector are often small in size. However, a few large global groups dominate the market, including the groups mentioned above. As far as distributors are concerned, it is the Large and Medium-Sized Surfaces (GMS) which concentrate the great majority of sales.

The French market has seen a steady increase in turnover and consumption in recent years. However, in 2019, the French consumed slightly less ice cream and sorbets, with a a 3% drop in effective household consumption compared to 2018 . However, market participants can rely on the market premiumisation and innovation as the main future growth drivers.

Companies in the sector are thus relying on innovation strategies. This innovation can take several forms fragrance renewal , new formats or new concepts . Another opportunity on the market is the development of an offer of organic products at the higher prices.

2 Demand Analysis

3 Market structure

4 Analysis of the offer

5 Regulation

6 Positioning of the players

All our studies are available online in PDF format

Take a look at an example of our research on another market!

Example online Example in PDF

Do you have a question about this study? +44 238 097 0676

Choosing this study means :

Access to more than 35 hours of work

Our studies are the result of over 35 hours of research and analysis. Using our studies allows you to devote more time and added value to your projects.

Benefit from 6 years' experience and over 1,500 industry reports already produced

Our expertise enables us to produce comprehensive studies in all sectors, including niche and emerging markets.

Our know-how and methodology enable us to produce reports that offer unique value for money.

Access to several thousand articles and paid-for data

Businesscoot has access to all the paid economic press as well as exclusive databases to carry out its market research (over 30,000 articles and private sources).

To enhance our research, our analysts also use web indicators (semrush, trends, etc.) to identify market trends and company strategies. (Consult our paying sources)

Guaranteed support after your purchase

A team dedicated to after-sales service, to guarantee you a high level of satisfaction. +44 238 097 0676

A digital format designed for our users

Not only do you have access to a PDF, but also to a digital version designed for our customers. This version gives you access to sources, data in Excel format and graphics. The content of the study can therefore be easily retrieved and adapted for your specific needs.

Our offers :

the ice cream and sorbet market | France

99 €

What are the figures on the size and growth of the market?
What is driving the growth of the market and its evolution?
What is the positioning of companies in the value chain?
Data from several dozen databases

Pack 5 études (-25%) France

74 € ^{/ study}

370 € instead of 495 € -25%

5 études au prix de 74 €HT par étude à choisir parmi nos 1200 titres sur le catalogue
Conservez -25% sur les études supplémentaires achetées
Choisissez le remboursement des crédits non consommés au terme des 12 mois (durée du pack)

Consultez notre catalogue d’études sectorielles