In Scandinavia, sugar confectionery and chewing gum are very popular forms of confectionery; Sweden has the highest rate of sugar confectionery consumption per capita in Europe, and Finland has the fourth highest rate. Despite this, both countries have not been immune from the global wellness trend that has seen consumers increasingly turn to sugar-free and functional products. However, up until recently, Cloetta Fazer, despite a large product portfolio, has been underrepresented in the functional product category.
Chewing gum makes up around 10% of the total confectionery market in Finland and around 6% in Sweden. Fennobon is Finland's only domestic manufacturer of chewing gum and specializes in sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol. Xylitol, which was first discovered in Finland, does not cause tooth decay and has actually been found in some studies to repair minor cavities. Nearly all chewing gum sold in Finland contains Xylitol, and recently, international manufacturers such as Wrigley and Cadbury Schweppes have also reformulated some of their functional products to contain Xylitol. Fennobon also sells chewing gum with added vitamins and gum designed to lower cholesterol.