Chocolate, personal care, and cleaning products registered the highest increases in sales in the first half of 2009, considering that the growth pace of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sales, in national currency, fell by five percentage points in the first six months, to 17 percent from 22 percent, compared to the corresponding period of last year, according to a study by GfK Romania.

“The factor that contributed most to the evolution of the trend of fast-moving consumer goods was the rise in value of the shopping basket, influenced by the price rise and supported by a larger acquired volume,” the General Manager of GfK Romania, Andi Dumitrescu, said.

According to the study, personal care and house cleaning products registered the highest increase in terms of value, of 19 percent year-on-year, surpassing the rise registered by foodstuffs and beverages by two percent. Chocolate tablets are among the most dynamic products in the foodstuff basket, with a 20 percent increase in volume in H1, compared to the first half of 2008.

“The chocolate market rose by some five percent this year, while last year’s growth rate was higher than 20 percent. We are talking about a lower increase for this year, but we are lucky that we continue to register an upward trend compared to other categories,” said Lachlan Grave, General Manager of Kraft Romania.