Candy sales strong despite recession

[Kadie]

Candy sales strong despite recession
Robert Selna, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

(09-22) 18:27 PDT -- In a broad recession-related shift, many Americans have lost their taste for fancy cars, clothes and vacations, but their appetite for candy, it seems, only has become more pronounced.

The California unemployment rate climbed to 12.2 percent in August and more home foreclosures loom on the horizon, but sweets are going like gangbusters in San Francisco and elsewhere, according to store owners, candymakers and food industry analysts.

"Candy is something you can treat yourself to for a very reasonable price," said Susan Karl president of Annabelle's candy company in Hayward, which, makes Abba-Zaba, Rocky Road, U-No and Big Hunk bars. "It makes people feel good and it's a pretty cheap treat when you're feeling crummy - it's either that or a beer."

Alcoholic beverages, ice cream and movies aren't doing badly either, but candy and chocolate stand out as being recession-resistant.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/22/BUAE19QDLV.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0RtQTkhS6

[Mari333]

1. makes sense.

people getting their lift from sugar. cheaper than a shrink, cheaper than meds.

[barb162]

9. Yes, it's a cheap, satisfying little way fo making oneself feel better.

[Deja Q]

2. Hey hey hey!!

Sorry for the snark, but all the media and politicians and everybody hypes up good health. They seem to forget one tiny element:

Reality.

[Skittles]

3. I'm eating Milk Duds right now

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[alfredo]

14. I had a shot of cheap vodka. It was gooood.

[imdjh]

4. Candy and cosmetics are supposedly depression proof.

[Louisiana1976]

5. I've found that Wint-O-Green Lifesavers are addictive.

[DireStrike]

6. See, we don't need healthcare

We can self-medicate.

[Matariki]

7. My grandfather made it though the depression by selling candy door to door.

[LeftyMom]

8. I make my own.

Homemade fudge, caramels, etc beat any commercial stuff.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Any student of history knows this

same thing happened during the Great Depression and every other recession since.

[BuyingThyme]

11. They've sure raised their prices lately.

It's like $1.59 for the larger candy bars now. Not so long ago they were all $.99 each.

[alfredo]

12. I read a book about the depression where a person advised another to sell

sweets because there is always a market for it.

[Selatius]

13. Many people use food, especially candy, as an emotional crutch, especially in hard economic times.

This seems to make sense.