Confectionery continues to provide forecourt retailers with excellent sales opportunities, according to a new report by Mars. The company claims to be the only major confectionery manufacturer to have increased its share of chocolate sales in 2006 (by 0.5% to 27%), despite a slight market decline. Its performance was driven by 2.5% growth in the 'everyday chocolate' category. "Mars' policy of investing in fewer, but bigger and better promotional activities has been very successful in driving incremental sales," says trade relations manager Andrea Taylor. She says retailers can look forward to more of the same in 2007, including a big push behind Snickers, with a link to the new Die Hard 4 film, and a campaign featuring Mr T from the A-Team. In the meantime, forecourt retailers could achieve more than £3,000 worth of extra confectionery sales a year - an extra £700 profit - simply by getting confectionery displays right, with a range and display that reflects shopper behaviour. Sharing bags are increasingly important to forecourts, with bitesize pouches accounting for 20% of total confectionery sales in forecourts, where retailers should also capitalise on the impulse opportunity by stocking their best-selling products at the till.