Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Value sales of sweet biscuits and cereal bars keep growing
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- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2014-24
- Consumers continuing to snack on sweet biscuits
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- Figure 2: UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, by segment, 2018 and 2019
- Lack of progress on sugar reduction in biscuits
- Snacking culture drives eating of biscuits
- Companies and brands
- McVitie’s strengthens lead in sweet biscuits
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- Figure 3: Leading brands’ shares in the sweet biscuits market, by value, 2018/19*
- Own-label makes gains in chocolate biscuit bars
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- Figure 4: Leading brands’ shares in the chocolate biscuit bars market, by value, 2018/19*
- Belvita increases sales through healthier focus
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- Figure 5: Leading brands’ shares in the breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars market, by value, 2019/20*
- Limited L/N/R sugar activity
- New flavour twists a continuing feature of NPD
- Increase in healthy claims in cereal/snack bars
- The consumer
- Nine in 10 Brits eat sweet biscuits
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- Figure 6: Frequency of eating sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, December 2019
- Targeting out-of-home eating important
- Taste and price most important purchase drivers
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- Figure 7: Purchase drivers when choosing sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, January 2020
- Familiar favourites tick the right boxes
- Plenty of interest in healthier biscuits
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- Figure 8: Attributes most sought in the perfect sweet biscuit, January 2020
- Chocolate confectionery extensions have strong appeal
- A quarter interested in cookie dough for snacking or baking
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- Figure 9: Interest in different product features in sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, December 2019
- Daily sweet biscuits permissible for seven in 10 eaters
- Replacing biscuits with cereal/snack bars seen as an easy healthy swap
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- Figure 10: Attitudes towards sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, January 2020
- Me-time and sharing occasions deserve limelight in marketing
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- Figure 11: Behaviours related to eating sweet biscuits, January 2020
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Opportunity for healthier products and portion-sized packs
- The facts
- The implications
- Texture and flavour development needs to be central to NPD
- The facts
- The implications
- Promote cereal/snack bars as an easy healthy swap
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Value sales of sweet biscuits and cereal bars keep growing
- Snacking culture will keep people spending
- Sweet biscuits benefit from treating and sharing occasions
- Sweet biscuits to pass £1.99 billion in 2024
- Slowdown in growth for cereal bars
- Lack of progress on sugar reduction in biscuits
- Sugar a big concern for consumers
- Snacking culture drives eating of biscuits
- Projected decline in number of young adults
- Ageing population unlikely to benefit sales
Market Size and Forecast
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- Value sales of sweet biscuits and cereal bars keep growing
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- Figure 12: Total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2014-24
- Snacking culture will keep people spending
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- Figure 13: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Sweet biscuits benefit from treating and sharing occasions
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- Figure 14: Total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, 2014-24
- Regular sweet biscuits are the segment’s growth engine
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- Figure 15: UK retail value and volume sales of sweet biscuits, by biscuits and chocolate biscuit bars, 2017-19
- Segment to pass £1.99 billion in 2024
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- Figure 16: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, 2014-24
- Slowdown in growth for cereal bars
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- Figure 17: Total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2014-24
- Segment to reach £771 million by 2024
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- Figure 18: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2014-24
Market Drivers
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- Lack of progress on sugar reduction in biscuits
- Sugar a big concern for consumers
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- Figure 19: Concerns about selected ingredients in food and non-alcoholic drinks, June 2019
- Snacking culture drives eating of biscuits
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- Figure 20: Reasons for snacking, March 2019
- Projected decline in number of young adults is bad news for the market
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- Figure 21: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2014-24
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- McVitie’s strengthens lead in sweet biscuits
- Own-label makes gains in chocolate biscuit bars
- Belvita increases sales through healthier focus
- Limited L/N/R sugar activity
- New flavour twists a continuing feature of NPD
- Increase in healthy claims in cereal/snack bars
- Cereal/snack bars entice shoppers with appealing flavours
- Mondelēz is the biggest advertiser on sweet biscuits
- McVitie’s and Cadbury Biscuits the most trusted brands
Market Share
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- McVitie’s strengthens lead in sweet biscuits
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- Figure 22: Leading brands’ sales in the sweet biscuits market, by value and volume, 2017/18 and 2018/19
- Own-label makes gains in chocolate biscuit bars
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- Figure 23: Leading brands’ sales in the chocolate biscuit bars market, by value and volume, 2017/18 and 2018/19
- Belvita increases sales through healthier focus
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- Figure 24: Leading brands’ sales in the breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars market, by value and volume, 2018/19 and 2019/20
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Limited L/N/R sugar activity
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- Figure 25: Examples of new launches in sweet biscuits making L/N/R sugar claims, 2019/20
- Healthier biscuits still have a small presence
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- Figure 26: Examples of new launches of healthier biscuits, 2019/20
- New flavour twists a continuing feature of NPD
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- Figure 27: Examples of new launches in sweet biscuits with new flavour twists, 2019/20
- New texture and flavour combinations adding to variety
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- Figure 28: Examples of new launches in sweet biscuits with different texture combinations, 2019
- Soft bakes see more launch activity
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- Figure 29: Examples of new launches of soft bake products in sweet biscuits, 2019
- Growing premium focus on NPD in own-label products
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- Figure 30: Examples of premium and luxury launches in sweet biscuits /cookies, 2019
- Increase in healthy claims in cereal/snack bars
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- Figure 31: Healthier claims in new launches in the UK retail snack/cereal/energy bars market, 2015-19
- Cereal/snack bars entice shoppers with appealing flavours
- Tempt them with chocolate
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- Figure 32: Examples of new launches in snack/cereal/energy bars with a focus on chocolate, 2019/20
- Nuts feature in more launches
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- Figure 33: Examples of new launches in snack/cereal/energy bars with peanuts or peanut butter, 2019/20
- Bakery and dessert flavours add differentiation
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- Figure 34: Examples of new launches in snack/cereal/energy bars with bakery or dessert flavours, 2019/20
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Adspend is split equally between biscuits and cereal bars/breakfast biscuits
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- Figure 35: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sweet biscuits, shortbread, cereal bars and breakfast biscuits, by media type, 2016-19
- Mondelēz is the biggest advertiser on sweet biscuits
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- Figure 36: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sweet biscuits/ shortbread, by advertiser, 2019
- Figure 37: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sweet biscuits/ shortbread, by top brands, 2019
- Cadbury Fingers highlights the kindness of sharing
- Bahlsen launches ‘A Little Bit Fancy’ campaign
- Lotus Biscoff focuses on link with coffee
- McVitie’s ‘Let’s Talk’ campaign supports mental health
- Belvita biggest advertiser in cereal bars and breakfast biscuits
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- Figure 38: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cereal bars/breakfast biscuits, by advertiser, 2019
- Figure 39: Figure 40: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cereal bars/breakfast biscuits, by top brands, 2019
- Nakd launches first TV campaign
- Nestlé runs TV campaign for Yes! snack bars
- Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Squares targets parents of teens
- Nature Valley looks to get people outdoors
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research
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- Brand map
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- Figure 41: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, February 2020
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 42: Key metrics for selected brands, February 2020
- Brand attitudes: Cadbury seen most widely as worth paying more for
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- Figure 43: Attitudes, by brand, February 2020
- Brand personality: McVitie’s the most accessible brand
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- Figure 44: Brand personality – macro image, February 2020
- McVitie’s seen as the most traditional brand
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- Figure 45: Brand personality – micro image, February 2020
- Brand analysis
- McVitie’s seen as offering good value
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- Figure 46: User profile of McVitie’s, February 2020
- Cadbury Biscuits seen as most delicious and indulgent
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- Figure 47: User profile of Cadbury Biscuits, February 2020
- Fox’s is most strongly a traditional and family brand
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- Figure 48: User profile of Fox’s, February 2020
- Indulgence is Bahlsen’s biggest strength
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- Figure 49: User profile of Bahlsen, February 2020
- Good value a key strength for Maryland
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- Figure 50: User profile of Maryland, February 2020
- Oreo has least traditional image
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- Figure 51: User profile of Oreo, February 2020
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Nine in 10 Brits eat sweet biscuits
- Targeting out-of-home eating important
- Taste and price most important purchase drivers
- Familiar favourites tick the right boxes
- Plenty of interest in healthier biscuits
- Chocolate confectionery extensions have strong appeal
- A quarter interested in cookie dough for snacking or baking
- Daily sweet biscuits permissible for seven in 10 eaters
- Replacing biscuits with cereal/snack bars seen as an easy healthy swap
- Me-time and sharing occasions deserve limelight in marketing
Eating of Sweet Biscuits and Cereal/Snack Bars
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- Nine in 10 Brits eat sweet biscuits
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- Figure 52: Types of sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars eaten in the last 3 months, December 2019
- More than half of people eat sweet biscuits at least once a week
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- Figure 53: Frequency of eating sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, December 2019
Where and How Sweet Biscuits and Cereal/Snack Bars Eaten
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- Targeting out-of-home eating important for biscuits and cereal bars
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- Figure 54: Where sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars were eaten in the last 3 months, December 2019
- Six in 10 eat sweet biscuits with a hot drink
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- Figure 55: How sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars eaten in the last 3 months, January 2020
Purchase Drivers
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- Taste and price most important purchase drivers
- Convenience and healthiness offer best scope for differentiation
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- Figure 56: Purchase drivers when choosing sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, January 2020
Sweet Biscuit Preferences
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- Familiar favourites tick the right boxes
- Crunchiness matters to three in ten
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- Figure 57: Attributes most sought in the perfect sweet biscuit, January 2020
- Plenty of interest in healthier biscuits
- Not everyone likes biscuits too sweet
Interest in Product Features
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- Chocolate confectionery extensions have strong appeal
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- Figure 58: Interest in different product features in sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, December 2019
- Texture development offers a way of adding differentiation
- A quarter interested in cookie dough for snacking or baking
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- Figure 59: Global examples of new launches of cookie dough for snacking, 2019/20
Attitudes towards Sweet Biscuits and Cereal/Snack Bars
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- Daily sweet biscuits permissible for seven in 10 eaters
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- Figure 60: Attitudes towards sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, January 2020
- Replacing biscuits with cereal/snack bars seen as an easy healthy swap
- Strong demand for a wider range of healthier biscuits
Behaviours Related to Eating Sweet Biscuits
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- ‘Me’ time and sharing occasions deserve limelight in marketing
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- Figure 61: Behaviours related to eating sweet biscuits, January 2020
- Seasonal ranges offer a boost to biscuit sales
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 62: Total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
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- Figure 63: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2019-24
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Appendix – Market Segmentation
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- Figure 64: Total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, 2014-24
- Figure 65: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, 2019-24
- Figure 66: Total UK retail volume sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2014-24
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- Figure 67: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2019-24
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Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 68: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the sweet biscuits market, by value and volume, 2017/18 and 2018/19
- Figure 69: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the chocolate biscuit bars market, by value and volume, 2017/18 and 2018/19
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- Figure 70: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars market, by value and volume, 2018/19 and 2019/20
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Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 71: Top claims in new launches in the UK retail sweet biscuits/cookies market, 2015-19
- Figure 72: Top companies in new launches in the UK retail sweet biscuits/cookies market, 2015-19
- Figure 73: Top claims in new launches in the UK retail snack/cereal/energy bars market, 2015-19
- Figure 74: Top companies in new launches in the UK retail snack/cereal/energy market, 2015-19
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- Figure 75: New launches in the UK retail sweet biscuits/cookies and snack/cereal/energy market, by sub-category, 2015-19
- Figure 76: New launches in the UK retail snack/cereal/energy market, by flavour component sub-group, 2015-19
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