Snacks in 2025: The big picture
It is expected to be a positive year for snacks in Uruguay in 2025, with healthy current value growth, supported by an improving economy and the continuing easing of inflation. In addition, there has been a significant fall off in cross-border shopping in Argentina, and this is expected to boost overall volume sales. This was due to a steep currency appreciation of the peso in Argentina after the election of president Javier Milei. The newly appreciated currency made products in Argentine peso more expensive and thus narrowed the price gap between local goods and Argentine goods and as a result cross-border shopping became much less lucrative.
Key trends in 2025
Ice cream continues to be Uruguay’s most popular snacks and also registers the highest current value and volume growth in 2025. While take-home ice cream continues to account for most value sales,increasing sales of both impulse and unpackaged ice cream drive the growth. The increasing popularity of unpackaged ice cream is due to the continuing expansion of the Argentine ice cream chain, Grido, which now has about 50 stores in Uruguay. Its offerings are also about 10-20% cheaper than the leading player Conaprole. Also, another local brand Lekker, which offers both impulse and take-home ice cream, has also opened a proprietary outlet under the brand name Lé.
Competitive Landscape
Van Dam SA (Arcor) continues to lead snacks in Uruguay thanks to its solid position in confectionery in particular. The company remains the key player in sugar confectionery and offers a wide portfolio such as pastilles, gummies, jellies and chewy candies for Halloween. It is also a significant player in chocolate confectionary, with a wide competitively priced portfolio. It also had a foothold in sweet biscuits, with the its Bagley portfolio, and in savoury biscuits, with its Saladix brand.
Channel developments
Modern grocery retailers, and in particular supermarkets, lead distribution of snacks and are particularly strong in snacks such as ice cream and savoury snacks. They stock a wide selection and also regularly offer promotions and discounts, as well as investing heavily in advertising. Supermarkets are also continuing to expand, in particular chains such as Tienda Inglesa and El Dorado, and this is leading to growth in more affordable private label offerings. In addition, modern grocery retailers are buying small local grocers. For instance, El Dorado bought three traditional stores in 2024, while in 2023, Tienda Inglesa’s Red Express supermarket chain bought Supermercado 18.
What next for snacks?
Snacks will register moderate constant value and volume growth over the forecast period. A continuing reduction in cross-border shopping in Argentina, as well as increasing tourism from Argentina, will be a positive.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Snacks industry in Uruguay with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to a comprehensive range of core packaged food categories.
If you're in the Snacks industry in Uruguay, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Snacks in Uruguay report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Snacks in Uruguay?
- Which are the leading brands in Snacks in Uruguay?
- How are products distributed in Snacks in Uruguay?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and/or the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- What are the key health and wellness concerns driving, or challenging, sales in Snacks?
- How significant are vegan and vegetarian dietary requirements in determining sales growth in Uruguay?
- How has COVID-19 impacted consumer demand? To what extent have lockdown, home seclusion and stockpiling boosted sales? Will the longer term economic repercussions of the pandemic stimulate or suppress future growth?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
- How significant will values-based claims, such as sustainability and ethical labelling, be in supporting future growth and brand equity?
Snacks in Uruguay
Snacks in 2025: The big picture
Key trends in 2025
Competitive Landscape
Channel developments
What next for snacks?
DISCLAIMER
Chocolate Confectionery in Uruguay
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Aggressive promotions support volume sales
Private label makes significant gains
Small local grocers continue losing ground
Continuing price pressure dampens volume sales
Further healthy value growth in e-commerce
Consumers unconcerned about food labels, as they look for indulgence
Gum in Uruguay
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Minimal volume growth in 2025
Mondelez continues to dominate
Small local grocers continue to lead, though losing ground
Similar dynamics over forecast period.
Continuing innovation over forecast period
Increasing messaging around sustainability
Sugar Confectionery in Uruguay
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Gummies and jellies drive value and volume sales
Arcor continues to lead, due its affordable offerings and continuing innovation
Small local grocers losing ground to supermarkets
Bright outlook over forecast period
Healthy value growth in e-commerce
More focus on healthier positioning
Ice Cream in Uruguay
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Ice cream best performing snack in 2025
Conaprole’s main rival, Crufi, acquired by multinational Froneri
Supermarkets lead distribution
Steady growth over forecast period
Premiumisation boosts value growth
Growth in plant-based ice cream, though still niche
Savoury Snacks in Uruguay
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Reduced cross-border shopping benefits savoury snacks
Papas Chips still leads, but Arcor narrows gap
Supermarkets lead distribution
Healthy outlook over forecast period
Increasing visibility of healthier options
Innovation focuses on flavour
Sweet Biscuits, Snack Bars and Fruit Snacks in Uruguay
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Generous promotions support volume sales
Durulte with Portezuelo leads, on back of strong promotional activity and continuing diversification
Supermarkets on par with small local grocers for first time
Modest growth over forecast period
Saturated product area leads to consolidation
Focus on a healthier positioning
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Snacks
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- Chocolate Pouches and Bags
- Boxed Assortments
- Chocolate with Toys
- Countlines
- Seasonal Chocolate
- Tablets
- Other Chocolate Confectionery
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- Bubble Gum
- Chewing Gum
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- Boiled Sweets
- Chewy Candies
- Gummies and Jellies
- Liquorice
- Lollipops
- Medicated Confectionery
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- Power Mints
- Standard Mints
- Toffees, Caramels and Nougat
- Other Sugar Confectionery
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- Frozen Yoghurt
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- Single Portion Dairy Ice Cream
- Single Portion Water Ice Cream
- Plant-based Ice Cream
- Unpackaged Ice Cream
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- Bulk Dairy Ice Cream
- Ice Cream Desserts
- Multi-Pack Dairy Ice Cream
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- Bulk Water Ice Cream
- Multi-Pack Water Ice Cream
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- Nuts, Seeds and Trail Mixes
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- Potato Chips
- Tortilla Chips
- Puffed Snacks
- Rice Snacks
- Vegetable, Pulse and Bread Chips
- Savoury Biscuits
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Meat Snacks
- Seafood Snacks
- Other Savoury Snacks
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- Dried Fruit
- Processed Fruit Snacks
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- Cereal Bars
- Protein/Energy Bars
- Fruit and Nut Bars
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- Chocolate Coated Biscuits
- Cookies
- Filled Biscuits
- Plain Biscuits
- Wafers
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This report originates from Passport, our Snacks research and analysis database.
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