Manufacturers are doubling down on seasonal spikes as consumers look for small, accessible treats in moments linked to celebration, gifting and shared experiences.
Confectionery brands in particular are focusing on formats that emphasise indulgence and clear premium cues while maintaining mainstream price points.
Across snacking, flavour remains the primary lever for innovation, with brands leveraging their most familiar seasonings and strongest equities to build trial.
Crossovers and mashups are being used to refresh core lines without straying too far from established tastes that shoppers already trust.
Collaborations with high‑profile creators and digital‑first campaigns continue to be a route to younger demographics, with manufacturers investing in social visibility and pre‑launch engagement to accelerate momentum. Limited‑time executions and exclusive drops also remain central to generating early demand.
Premium‑leaning designs, recognisable taste profiles and multi‑channel activations are setting the tone for NPD across both confectionery and savoury snacking.
Rowntree’s lollies
Nestlé is extending its UK Rowntree’s portfolio with a new Lollies range inspired by its existing frozen offering. The line brings the flavours of Rowntree’s Ice Lollies into an ambient format designed for all‑year‑round consumption.
The 130g sharing bags launch with three variants: Fruit Pastilles Lollies, Sour Watermelon Flavour Lollies and Mango Flavour Lollies. All are made with real fruit juice and target shoppers seeking familiar, flavour‑forward sweets in a convenient format.
The launch continues Rowntree’s strategy of reworking its heritage brands for new usage occasions. It follows last year’s Jelly Tots Tangy release, which added a sour profile to the long‑standing Jelly Tots brand. According to the company, the latest range aims to offer the same bold, fruity flavours as the freezer lollies, but without the need for chilled storage.
Baileys is all loved up
Lir Chocolates is expanding its Baileys Chocolate portfolio for Valentine’s Day 2026 with the All You Need Is Love collection.
The seasonal line introduces two new formats alongside the return of a familiar SKU, targeting both planned gifting and impulse seasonal purchases. The Baileys Truffles Heart Gift Box (100g) features milk chocolate truffles filled with the brand’s signature Baileys centre and packed in fully recyclable paper twist wraps. It has an RRP of £4 and will be available through select UK retailers.
Also new is the Baileys Chocolate Block and Gift Card (90g), a thick milk chocolate bar infused with Baileys Original Irish Cream and filled with truffle crème. Designed to tap the trend for personalised gifting, the card‑style pack includes a space for a handwritten message. It will launch in select UK retailers at an RRP of £2.75.
Returning for the season is the Baileys Hearts (90g) format, containing nine milk chocolate hearts with a Baileys Strawberries and Cream Truffle filling, RRP £5.
PepsiCo Flavor Swap
PepsiCo Foods is introducing a limited-time Flavor Swap range that applies some of its best-selling seasonings to different snack formats.
The initiative brings together top flavours from Lay’s, Ruffles and Doritos with unfamiliar base chips to create new eating experiences while staying close to established consumer preferences.
The line-up includes Lay’s Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue on Cheetos Crunchy, Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream on Doritos, and Doritos Cool Ranch on Ruffles.
Each flavour was selected and paired through consumer insight testing and R&D trials designed to ensure the new combinations delivered familiar profiles in a novel format.
The US rollout begins in mid-February, with the brands using social media ahead of launch to generate early engagement. Cheetos, Ruffles and Doritos will release Swap Drops via Instagram, giving selected fans the chance to sample the products before they reach shelves.
The campaign will be supported by partnerships with Madison Beer, iShowSpeed and Dude Perfect to help extend reach and drive awareness among younger audiences.
Baileys Easter range
Lir Chocolates is extending its Baileys Chocolate portfolio for Easter 2026 with a new flavour-led egg and the return of key seasonal performers.
The new Baileys Caramelised Popcorn Easter Egg (225g) pairs a smooth milk chocolate shell infused with Baileys Original Irish Cream with whole pieces of caramelised popcorn for added crunch. Featuring an embossed Baileys logo and a movie-inspired design, the SKU is positioned for strong shelf stand out in the premium gifting segment. It will be available in selected UK retailers at an RRP of £12.
The Baileys Chocolate Original Easter Egg also returns following strong performances over the past two seasons. The product combines a Baileys-flavoured milk chocolate shell with a selection of Baileys Original Chocolate Truffles and will be listed again with UK retailers including Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Ocado, TJX and B&M, RRP £12.
According to the company, the Original Egg remains one of the brand’s most popular seasonal lines due to its recognisable flavour profile and premium cues.
