When linked with the right ingredients, flavours, and marketing strategies, it can dramatically elevate a product’s appeal. Today, colour is not just a design choice for confectioners—it’s a key driver of consumer behaviour. Whether highlighting themes of wellbeing, sustainability, adventure, or affordability, the power of colour is undeniable.
At the 2023 Sweets & Snacks Expo, one of the most noticeable trends was the rise of emoting flavours, which are expected to be central to product innovation in 2024. Brands are exploring flavour and colour pairings to evoke emotions, tie into nostalgia marketing, and enhance functional confectionery products.
“Colour is about sending instinctive signals to consumers about the product’s flavour, quality, and overall identity,” says Pilar Zorrilla, Key Account Manager and confectionery category lead at GNT Group. “It has the ability to create connections between the consumer’s emotions and the sensory experience.”
The evolving role of colour in confectionery
Historically, confectionery relied on vibrant, fun colours to signify sweetness and indulgence. Products were defined by their boldness—whether bright reds, yellows, or neon shades—that were closely associated with traditional sugary treats. However, in recent years, this has shifted in response to evolving consumer preferences.
Today, many brands are embracing pastel and darker hues to reflect a more natural, sophisticated appearance. This change is particularly apparent in the European market, where products are often positioned for adult consumers. These subtler colours convey a healthier, cleaner image, aligning with trends that focus on reduced sugar and permissible indulgence.
“In Europe, we’ve seen a significant shift toward pastel and muted shades to create a more natural look, distancing products from the overly sweet and artificial,” Zorrilla explains. “It’s a way for brands to connect with health-conscious consumers and offer indulgence that feels less guilty.”
At the same time, confectioners are pushing boundaries with experimental colour and flavour pairings. Products that transform in the mouth—whether becoming fizzy, sour, or melty—are often accompanied by mysterious shades like black, blue-black, and deep purples. These colours, far from traditional, add a sense of surprise and discovery to the eating experience.
2024’s leading colour trends
1. Luxury meets self-expression
Consumer preferences are driving colour trends in indulgence products, and ADM’s 2024 colour research highlights the rise of luxe self-expression. Consumers seek indulgent treats that mirror their personal values, and colour is a key aspect of this. While the price point remains affordable, the use of rich, luxurious hues creates a perception of premium quality.
Popular colours in this trend include stormy blue, blue atoll, sparkling grape, fiery brick, fiery red, and apricot crush. These shades pair well with flavours such as sweet, umami, caramelised fruit, and cinnamon sugar, offering consumers an indulgent yet affordable experience. Social media platforms, particularly TikTok, have further amplified the trend. In 2023 alone, there were over 2.4 billion views on TikTok for “cinnamon sugar,” cementing its place as a flavour favourite.
2. Nostalgia-driven colour choices
The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has fuelled demand for affordable treats that offer comfort through familiarity. Nostalgia continues to shape consumer desires, with many seeking classic, well-loved products that evoke memories but with a modern twist. This has given rise to the #dupe trend, which ADM has recognised in its 2024 report. Google searches for “dupe” products increased by 234% between 2018 and 2023, showing just how much nostalgia influences purchasing behaviour.
For 2024, nostalgic colours like pink power, magical marigold, playful blue, and pistachio green are in the spotlight. These colours are paired with flavours such as pistachio, melon,
cucumber, and grapefruit, evoking comforting yet contemporary tastes that satisfy nostalgic cravings while appealing to modern sensibilities.
3. Health and functionality at the forefront
Consumers are increasingly looking for confectionery that delivers not just on indulgence but also on health and functionality. In this context, colours that communicate wellness are playing a larger role. Bright, vivid shades like spectra yellow, persimmon orange, and very violet suggest energy, vitality, and health. Meanwhile, softer pastel tones like floral pink and pistachio green offer a more natural, subtle appeal.
As consumers become more adventurous with their wellness choices, fermentation is emerging as a key trend in confectionery. Pickled, sour, and kombucha-infused products bring sour notes and new textures to the table, and this opens up new possibilities for natural colours. GNT, for example, has introduced fermented colours to its Exberry range, offering sustainable, high-performance natural hues.
“Fermentation adds a new dimension to both taste and colour, especially when it comes to sustainable production methods,” Zorrilla adds.
4. Sustainability shapes colour decisions
Sustainability is not only driving innovation in ingredients and packaging but also in the way brands use colour. More consumers want reassurance that their favourite confectionery products are produced responsibly. GNT is leading the charge in this area by using natural, plant-based colours created through fermentation—a method that reduces land use and production waste.
“We’ve seen an uptick in manufacturers using colours inspired by the natural world to signal sustainability,” Zorrilla says. Colours like textured purples, earthy reds, and muted oranges—collectively termed Elevated Earth—are designed to evoke a sense of nutrient-rich soil and are popular in plant-based chocolate products. Fermentation not only enhances the natural palette but also supports year-round production, freeing brands from relying on seasonal crops.
5. Breaking boundaries with bold contrasts
Bold, bright colours are making a strong comeback, especially in the premium segment, where they are used to differentiate products from traditional milk and dark chocolates. This trend sees confectioners employing eye-catching colours like bold reds, vibrant pinks, rich purples, and vivid blues to add a sense of adventure to their products. These hues signal excitement, discovery, and fun, appealing to consumers who crave an experiential eating journey.
ADM’s research points out that consumers are seeking more than just a visual feast—they want confectionery that challenges the norm and breaks away from conventional colour schemes. The vivid shades used in premium chocolates, for example, not only contrast with traditional colours but also highlight the natural ingredients from which they are derived.
One standout brand is CassPea, a luxury chocolatier that uses daring colours such as orange, yellow, green, and blue to represent unique flavours like banana caramel, olive oil, and chestnut. These colours add an element of surprise to the consumer’s experience, making the product not only a treat for the taste buds but also for the eyes.
