Europe’s appetite continues to shape a global industry exposed to climate and supply-chain risks.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Estonia consumes more chocolate per person than any other European Union member state, averaging approximately nine kilograms annually. Germany follows with 8.9 kilograms, Finland with 8.6 and Lithuania with 6.9. Switzerland, which is outside the EU, leads the broader European ranking at 10.9 kilograms per person.
These figures far exceed the global average of approximately 0.9 kilograms per person annually. Europe represented around 48 percent of worldwide chocolate consumption in 2024, while its market reached an estimated value of $49.3 billion in 2025—well ahead of North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
The continent’s consumption depends entirely on imported cocoa. The European Union accounts for approximately 58 percent of global cocoa-bean purchases, valued at $9.4 billion in 2024. Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon supply most of those imports.
The Netherlands is Europe’s principal entry point, with Amsterdam handling around half of the bloc’s cocoa-bean imports. Belgium accounts for another 17 percent and Germany for 8 percent. Europe also processed approximately 1.75 million tonnes of cocoa during the 2023–2024 season, representing 36 percent of global grinding activity.
Cocoa was trading near €5,117 per tonne, about 20 percent below its level a year earlier and far beneath the historic peaks recorded between 2024 and 2025. Improved harvest expectations in Côte d’Ivoire have eased pressure, but climate uncertainty remains. El Niño could again threaten production in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, leaving manufacturers and consumers exposed to renewed volatility.
European demand for certified cocoa is also growing, particularly through Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance programmes. Nevertheless, higher living costs are encouraging some consumers to choose less expensive products, challenging the organic and specialty segments of the market.
Every pleasure has a history, and every product has a supply chain.