Just breathe: things are looking up for the breath fresheners category.(CategoryInsights)(Statistical data)

Candy buyers are all smiles over the breath freshener category. After three years of declines, the breath sweetener sector of the candy business showed a 4 percent sales increase for the 52-week period ended May 20, 2006, according to ACNielsen data for food, drug and mass marketers (excluding Wal-Mart). Sales cracked the $200 million mark during that time, up from $197 million for the same period the year before. What makes retailers tingle is that gains are coming mostly via the sale of higher-priced products--not just unit movement. To some consumers, mints have become a status symbol or a fashion statement. Consumers don't mind paying over $1 for the right mints--especially those in interesting packaging. Sales had stalled after years of rapid growth were fueled by the introduction of products like breath strips. The market became saturated with too many me-too items. According to a company called Research and Markets, a total of 189 new products were launched in this area from 2000 to 2005. In the last year, however, …