According to world market leader Wrigley, the past year has been a good one for the sector. Research by AC Nielsen reveals that chewing gum sales are up about 8% so far this year, while confectionery trade overall has fallen by 1%. Importantly, the full Wrigley range of 18 products can deliver at least 20% of a retailer's confectionery countline profit, the company says. With this in mind the optimism surrounding the latest dental gums is understandable. Wrigley initiated the sugar-free gum revolution in the late 1970s when it launched the Orbit brand, now worth £38m. When it introduced the sugar-free Extra in 1990, an estimated five million new chewers entered the market. Today 26 million people in the UK chew Wrigley products. In August, Wrigley and Procter & Gamble formed an alliance in the US to introduce popular chewing gums with dental benefits. Under the agreement, the Wrigley Company will license trademarks and oral care technology from P&G, which will benefit from seeing its brands such as Crest enjoy wider retail distribution. The first products under the partnership should be launched in the US early next year. In the UK Wrigley has been fine-tuning its dental gum range. It has reformulated Orbit Peppermint and Spearmint stick to include Xylitol, which can protect against cavities. At the same time Orbit Sweetmint, also with Xylitol but in pellet form, has joined the range. Its latest innovation is Orbit White, a tooth whitening product containing sodium bicarbonate. "The introduction of Orbit Sweetmint and Orbit White is forecast to grow the market substantially because consumers recognise Orbit's dental heritage and Wrigley's years of research into the dental benefits of chewing gum," says Wrigley communications manager Jo Hartop. Wrigley also has high hopes for its fast-growing Airwaves brand following the launch of a third taste variant, Airwaves Blackcurrant + vitamin C. Airwaves is Wrigley's second most popular brand, worth £48.9m. Market leading toothpaste and toothbrush brand Colgate is hoping to steal ground from both companies following the launch in August of Colgate Advanced Action Dental Gum, which contains zinc acetate to reduce plaque and fight the bacteria which cause bad breath. The gum comes in three flavours: peppermint, menthol and sparkling mint whitening. The company is putting £13m behind the launch and aims for a 7% share of the UK gum market in the first year. The company's marketing head, dental gum, John Revess expects many sales to come from consumers who are new to gum. "We are doing something that no one has tried in the UK, taking an oralcare brand into the gum market. We are entering uncharted territory," he says. "Retailers are excited because it moves the Colgate brand out of the healthcare fixture and into confectionery." In November Colgate begins a push for Colgate Advanced Action Dental Gum, centred on a 16-week TV campaign and field marketing. A consumer sampling programme will distribute eight million sachets at restaurants, supermarkets, railway stations and via magazines. "We are marketing the dental health benefits and focusing on taste, while sampling will reach consumers who know that they should clean their teeth after meals but do not carry a toothbrush," says Revess. Colgate is hoping the product will be endorsed by the American Dental Association before the end of the year. Wrigley is also continuing to woo the dental profession, operating a relationship marketing programme called Wrigley's Oral Healthcare where it provides educational material for dentist waiting rooms. Its campaign should be boosted by the view from US manufacturers, which believe that chewing gum is not only good for teeth but can help concentration, satisfy snack cravings, help people stay awake while driving and reduce the urge to smoke. Some of these facts should also reassure any parent concerned about their children's intake of gum. The kids' market is vital in this sector and the Extreme Zombies range, comprising five sour-coated fruit flavour gumballs filled with sherbet, is launched this month by Leaf Ireland/Zed Gum. Each pack retails for 20p and contains an Extreme Zombies sticker, with 33 stickers to collect. The launch is supported by sampling and competitions in the regional press and children's magazines. The growth in chewing gum sales is likely to continue as more dental gums are introduced to satisfy consumer appetite for confectionery that tastes good and has a health benefit. That has to be something for retailers to smile about. {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}

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