Large confectioners – the most vocal opponent of U.S. sugar policy – have nothing to complain about. They pay less for sugar than their counterparts in other developed countries and have boosted profits under the current sugar policy.

  • U.S. sugar prices are as low today as 30 years ago, yet the price of a candy bar has increased 300% over that time.
  • A candy bar contained less than two pennies worth of sugar in the 1980s. Sugar still makes up less than two cents, or 1%, of a candy bar’s price tag.
  • Food manufacturers pocket the windfall from falling sugar prices instead of sharing the savings with consumers.
  • U.S. confectioners boast higher profit margins than hospitals, defense contractors, and even Hollywood, according to Yahoo!Finance statistics.
  • Official Census data show that domestic production of candy products has grown since current sugar policy took hold in 2008.
  • The press has reported more than 100 major U.S. expansion projects by candy makers since 2012.
  • Manufacturers of sugar-containing products have seen 3% job growth since 2009, while employment by other food manufacturers has been flat.
  • Over the last 15 years, the largest publicly held sugar-using companies saw share prices jump 136% — nearly triple the growth of the S&P index.
  • Profit margins for big sugar-containing product producers has been 37% higher than other U.S. public companies in the last 15 years.

The press has reported dozens of major U.S. expansion projects by candy makers since 2012. To further boost profits, candy lobbyists want to gut U.S. sugar policy and outsource America’s sugar production. Yet, Big Candy’s own trade group, the National Confectioners Association (NCA), has boasted about its industry’s profitability under the existing policy.

  • “Not only is confectionary a large product category…it is a high profit category.”
    January 2008
  • “The retail profit margin is approximately 35% for the confectionery category.”
    May 2009
  • “Confectionery [is] seen as a recession resistant category.”
    February 2010
  • “Despite a shaky economy for the past two and half years, sales continue to increase an average of 3% per year, with a nearly 4% gain this past year.”
    March 2011
  • “Confectionery retail sales have grown steadily since 2007, increasing from $27.4 billion to $32.1 billion in 2011.”
    May 2012