The Netherlands exports 1.3 billion euro worth of sweets

In 2008, the value of sweets exports was nearly twice as high as its imports value. Chocolate is by far the most popular type of sweets. Within the EU, the Netherlands occupies a prominent place as a manufacturer of liquorice sweets.

Sweets imports and exports

Chocolate most important type of sweets

In 2008, the Netherlands exported 400 million kilograms of sweets, with a total value of 1.3 billion euro; 80 percent of sweets exports go to EU countries. Nearly two thirds of total sweets exports consists of chocolate confectionery. Germany and the United Kingdom are the largest customers followed by France and Belgium.  

The Netherlands imports sweets mainly from EU countries like Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Chocolate confectionery is also the most imported type of sweets.

Sweets trade by type of sweets, 2008

Netherlands prominent liquorice manufacturer

The total value of sweets manufactured in the Netherlands was 1.3 billion euro. In the past decade, the Netherlands was the main manufacturer of liquorice in the EU. Within ten years, liquorice production has grown by a quarter to reach a value of 90 million euro. The Netherlands account for approximately one third of total liquorice and liquorice extract production in Europe. Spain and Germany occupy second and third place in Europe.

Sweets consumption stable

Last year, per capita sweets consumption in the Netherlands exceeded 11.5 kilograms. Nearly 2 kilograms concerned liquorice sweets. More than half of the remainder was chocolate, making it the most popular type of sweets in the Netherlands. Sweets consumption remained stable over the past decade.

Wiel Packbier and Tessa de Wit