An Analysis of the Competitiveness of the Global Chocolate Industry: The Case of European Union Countries

Abstract

European Union stand out as the region with the largest share of the global chocolate market. Therefore, identifying how and in which countries chocolate can be positioned with a competitive advantage requires a detailed competitive analysis. The purpose of this study is to determine and assess the chocolate industry's level of global competitiveness throughout the 27 European Union member states from 2010 to 2022. In the analysis process, the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index, the Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage Index, the Trade Balance Index, and the Product-Mapping method were applied. In the literature, a product-mapping of the chocolate industry in European Union countries was first conducted, providing a competitive analysis in this context. As a conclusion of the competitiveness analysis of the chocolate sector in EU countries, six countries were identified as net exporters with comparative advantage (Group A), 11 countries as net-importers with comparative advantage (Group B), and 10 countries as net-importers with comparative disadvantage (Group D).