Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
-
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
-
- Key points
- Cookie sales are sagging
- Weakness is widespread, but some growth expected
- Category fraught with many challenges
- Market drivers include innovation and demographics and dietary habits
- Nabisco’s Oreo and Chips Ahoy! brands lead the way
- Media spending is significant
- Food stores account for more than half of distribution
- Highlights from the consumer research
- Consumption steady to declining
- Lip service to healthy?
- Many will try new cookies, target Hispanics
- Turning around the category requires better marketing focus and ingenuity
Insights and Opportunities
-
- If cookies are purchased, they will be eaten
- Promote cookies as a comfort food
- Premium cookies are an affordable luxury
- Drug stores are the new convenience store
- A strong brand can be successful in cookie segment
- Cater to the best customers
Fast Forward Trends
-
- Trend: Over-Optioned Consumers
- What's it about?
- Specifics
- Implications for cookies
- Trend: Mood from Food
- What's it about?
- Specifics
- Implications for cookies
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Key points
- Sales are stagnant
- Successful products are not offsetting widespread losses or the growth in private label sales
-
- Figure 1: U.S. sales and forecast of cookies and cookie bars, at current prices, 2003-13
- Figure 2: U.S. sales and forecast of cookies and cookie bars, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2003-13
- Wal-Mart sales
Competitive Context
-
- “I don’t want to be that healthy”
-
- Figure 3: Reasons for eating fewer cookies, August 2008
- Cookies everywhere
- In-store bakeries
-
- Figure 4: Products purchased at in-store bakeries, by age, April 2008
- Store brands/private label
- Natural food stores
- Retail bakeries
- Homemade cookies
- Myriad alternatives to cookies
-
- Figure 5: Foods considered snacks, December 2007
- Figure 6: Foods considered healthy snacks, December 2007
Segment Performance
-
- Key points
- All cookie segment sales (except private label) are soft
- Standard cookies segment accounts for more than half of all category sales
- Time is right for private label cookies
-
- Figure 7: FDMx sales of cookies and cookie bars, by type of cookie, 2006 and 2008
Segment Performance—Standard Cookies
-
- Key points
- Standard cookie sales declining
- Sales and forecast—standard cookies
-
- Figure 8: FDMx sales of standard cookies, at current prices, 2003-13
Segment Performance—Healthy Cookies
-
- Key points
- Growth in segment flattens
- ‘Healthfulness’ does not drive sales
- Sales and forecast—healthy cookies
-
- Figure 9: FDMx sales of healthy cookies, at current prices, 2003-13
Segment Performance—Premium Cookies
-
- Key points
- Premium cookie sales have leveled off
- Sales and forecast—premium cookies
-
- Figure 10: FDMx sales of premium cookies, at current prices, 2003-13
Segment Performance—Private Label Cookies
-
- Key points
- More consumers willing to buy private label cookies
- Sales and forecast—private label cookies
-
- Figure 11: FDMx sales of private label cookies, at current prices, 2003-13
Segment Performance—Cookie Bars
-
- Key points
- Cookie bar segment sales are erratic
- Sales and forecast—cookie bars
-
- Figure 12: FDMx sales of cookie bars, at current prices, 2003-13
Retail Channels
-
- Key points
- Food stores account for the majority of cookie sales
- Some $1.4 billion in cookies are sold through mass merchandisers and other outlets
-
- Figure 13: Sales of cookies and cookie bars, by retail channel, 2006 and 2008*
Retail Channels—Food Stores
-
- Cookie sales through the food store channel are declining
-
- Figure 14: Sales of cookies and cookie bars at food stores, 2003-08
Retail Channels—Drug Stores
-
- Sales of cookies through drug stores up 34% between 2003 and 2008
-
- Figure 15: Sales of cookies and cookie bars at drug stores, 2003-08
Retail Channels—Mass and Other
-
- After stellar growth between 2003 and 2005, mass merchandiser sales have slowed…
- …but the channel is poised for growth
-
- Figure 16: Sales of cookies and cookie bars at mass and other stores, 2003-08
Natural Channel/SPINS
-
- Sales of cookies in the natural channel
-
- Figure 17: Natural product supermarket retail sales of cookies, at current prices, 2006-08
- Figure 18: Natural product supermarket retail sales of cookies, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2006-08
- Natural channel sales of cookies by brand
-
- Figure 19: Natural product supermarket sales of cookies, by manufacturer and brand, 2006 and 2008
- Natural channel sales of cookies by organic/non-organic
-
- Figure 20: Natural product supermarket retail sales of cookies, by organic/organic ingredients/non-organic, 2006 and 2008
- Natural channel sales of cookies by gluten-free
-
- Figure 21: Natural product supermarket retail sales of cookies, by gluten/gluten-free, 2006 and 2008
Market Drivers
-
- Innovation
-
- Figure 22: New product introductions, by launch type, 2003-08
-
- Figure 23: New product introductions, by product claim, 2003-08
- Demographics
- Hispanics
-
- Figure 24: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2003-13
- Figure 25: Households, by presence of children and Hispanic origin, 2006
- Households with children
-
- Figure 26: Incidence and volume of cookie consumption, by presence of children in household, February 2007-March 2008
-
- Figure 27: Households, by presence of children under age 18, 1997-2007
- Kids
-
- Figure 28: Population, by age, 2003-13
- Diet
-
- Figure 29: Cookie consumption trend, August 2008
Leading Companies
-
- Key points
- Kraft Nabisco leads the way
- Category is dominated by mainstays
- Archway has folded
-
- Figure 30: FDMx sales of leading cookies and cookie bar manufacturers, 2007 and 2008
Brand Share—Standard Cookies
-
- Key points
- Four of the top five standard cookie brands are growing
- Lofthouse finds a home in the in-store bakery section
- Oreo brand extensions keep sales all in the family
-
- Figure 31: FDMx brand sales of standard cookies, 2007 and 2008
Brand Share—Healthy Cookies
-
- Key points
- 100-calorie packs woo customers from standard packages
- Brands designed for specific diets (low carb, South Beach) are troubled
- Successful health brands in other categories show promise in the healthy cookies segment
-
- Figure 32: FDMx brand sales of healthy cookies, 2007 and 2008
Brand Share—Premium Cookies
-
- Key points
- Pepperidge Farm owns half of segment but FDMx sales slowing
- International-style cookies have strong sales
-
- Figure 33: FDMx brand sales of premium cookies, 2007 and 2008
Brand Share—Cookie Bars
-
- Key points
- Little Debbie going strong
- Four of the top five sellers increased sales in 2008
-
- Figure 34: FDMx brand sales of cookie bars, 2007 and 2008
Brand Qualities
-
- Oreo
- Chips Ahoy!
- Pepperidge Farm
- Keebler
- Gamesa
Innovation and Innovators
-
- Packaging and Portion Control
- Extending brands into new areas
- Marketing—The DSRL
- Elite Store Brands
- New cookie and cookie bar launches
-
- Figure 35: Numbers of new cookie and cookie bar launches, by main flavor, 2003-08
Advertising and Promotion
-
- Key points
- Overview
-
- Figure 36: Media expenditures for leading cookie and cookie bar brands, 2006 and 2007
- Advertising themes
- Theme—humor
-
- Figure 37: Television Spot, “Cookie Performs D'ya Think I'm Sexy?,” January 2008
- Figure 38: Television Spot, “Manning Brothers In Press Conference & Stadium,” January 2008
-
- Figure 39: Television Spot, “Chinese Whispers,” March 2008
- Theme—Packaging
-
- Figure 40: Television Spot, “Goodbye To Bag Clips/Snack & Seal Packages,” June 2008
- Figure 41: Television Spot, “Take-Alongs Fall Down Stairs,” February 2008
-
- Figure 42: Television Spot, “Candy Bites/Childlike Fantasy World,” January 2008
- Theme—warm and fuzzy
-
- Figure 43: Television Spot, “Father & Son On Webcam,” February 2008
- Figure 44: Television Spot, “Little Girls In Japanese Trains,” August 2008
Incidence of Cookie Consumption
-
- Key points
- Cookie consumption is ubiquitous
- Kids are eating fewer cookies although household consumption has remained steady
-
- Figure 45: Trended usage of ready-to-eat cookies in household, 2003-08
-
- Figure 46: Trended usage of ready-to-eat cookies—teens, 2003-07
-
- Figure 47: Trended usage of ready-to-eat cookies—kids, 2003-07
Cookie Consumption; Trends and Reasons
-
- About a third of adults say they are eating fewer cookies than the year before
-
- Figure 48: Cookie consumption trend, by gender, August 2008
- Reducing sweets and a dietary change are the main reasons given for eating fewer cookies
-
- Figure 49: Reasons for eating fewer cookies, by gender, August 2008
- Respondents who are eating more cookies cite greater selection
-
- Figure 50: Reasons for eating more cookies, by gender, August 2008
- Although most adults are eating the same amount of cookies this year, adults aged 45-64 are most likely to say they are eating fewer cookies this year
-
- Figure 51: Cookie consumption trend, by age, August 2008
- Boomers and seniors are cutting out sweets
-
- Figure 52: Reasons for eating fewer cookies, by age, August 2008
- One in five Hispanics are eating more cookies this year
-
- Figure 53: Cookie consumption trend, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2008
- Reasons for eating fewer cookies generally consistent across racial/ethnic groups
-
- Figure 54: Reasons for eating fewer cookies, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2008
- Most adults, with or without children, are eating the same amount of cookies as last year
-
- Figure 55: Cookie consumption trend, by presence of children, August 2008
- Adults with no children, who are eating fewer cookies, are cutting out sweets and changing their diet
-
- Figure 56: Reasons for eating fewer cookies, by presence of children, August 2008
- For those eating more cookies, variety is the key
-
- Figure 57: Reasons for eating more cookies, by presence of children, August 2008
Cookie Consumption by Key Demographics
-
- Key points
- Lower income households consume more cookies
-
- Figure 58: Incidence and volume of cookie consumption, by household income, February 2007-March 2008
- Cookies are a mainstay in households with children
-
- Figure 59: Incidence and volume of cookie consumption, by presence of children in household, February 2007-March 2008
Frequency of Eating Cookies by Key Demographic Groups
-
- Key points
- Cookie consumption frequency changes later in life
-
- Figure 60: Incidence and volume of individual’s cookie consumption, by age, August 2008
- Hispanics are most likely to eat cookies one or more times per week
-
- Figure 61: Incidence and frequency of individual’s cookie consumption, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2008
- Adults without children eat cookies infrequently
-
- Figure 62: Incidence and frequency of individual’s cookie consumption, by presence of children, August 2008
Types of Cookies Eaten in Household by Key Demographics
-
- Key points
- Most popular cookie types are ‘sandwich’ and ‘soft chocolate chip’
-
- Figure 63: Type of cookies eaten in household, February 2007-March 2008
- Types of cookies eaten in household by race/Hispanic origin
-
- Figure 64: Type of cookies eaten in household, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2007-March 2008
- Types of cookies eaten in household by presence of children
-
- Figure 65: Type of cookies eaten in household, by presence of children, February 2007-March 2008
Brand Preferences in Cookies by Key Demographics
-
- Key points
- Brand preferences vary by race/ethnicity
-
- Figure 66: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten in household, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2007-March 2008
- Adult ready-to-eat cookie brand preferences by presence of children in household
-
- Figure 67: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten in household, by presence of children, February 2007-March 2008
- Little Debbie, Double Stuf Oreos, and Fudge Shoppe Fudge Stripes have a greater share among teens than for all households
-
- Figure 68: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten by teens, January-November 2007
- Kids’ most popular brands differ widely from those of all households
-
- Figure 69: Kids’ ready-to-eat cookies brand preferences, January-November 2007
Purchase Preferences of Cookies by Form
-
- Key points
- Pre-packaged cookies by far the most popular form
-
- Figure 70: Forms of cookies or cookie bars purchased, by gender, August 2008
- About four in 10 under-45s buy fresh baked cookies
-
- Figure 71: Forms of cookies or cookie bars consumed by the respondent, by age, August 2008
- Hispanics more likely to buy each cookie form
-
- Figure 72: Forms of cookies or cookie bars consumed, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2008
- Households with kids have higher purchase rates for all forms of cookies
-
- Figure 73: Forms of cookies or cookie bars consumed, by presence of children, August 2008
Attributes that Influence Cookie Purchases
-
- Key points
- Almost half of adults do not consider any health attributes when choosing cookies
-
- Figure 74: Health and other attributes of interest to cookie buyers, by gender, August 2008
- Health attributes do not exert tremendous influence even among older buyers
-
- Figure 75: Health and other attributes of interest to cookie buyers, by age, August 2008
Eating Habits, Cookies and Sweets
-
- Key points
- Most adults take a middle of the road position on sweets/cookies, but women are somewhat more likely to view them differently
- Half of adults aged 18-24 binge on sweets, snack a lot, and buy the cookies they like the best
- Adults in households with children are more likely to binge on sweets and snack a lot
- Cookies—buying patterns and attitudes towards
-
- Figure 76: Cookies—buying patterns and attitudes towards, by gender, August 2008
-
- Figure 77: Cookies—buying patterns and attitudes towards, by age, August 2008
-
- Figure 78: Cookies—buying patterns and attitudes towards, by presence of children, August 2008
- Attitudes towards sweets
-
- Figure 79: Attitudes towards sweets, by gender, August 2008
-
- Figure 80: Attitudes towards sweets, by presence of children, August 2008
- Snacking and dieting behavior
-
- Figure 81: Snacking and dieting behavior, by gender, August 2008
-
- Figure 82: Snacking and dieting behavior, by age, August 2008
Attitudes toward Health and Cookies
-
- Key point
- Daily treats and 100-calorie packs appeal to women
-
- Figure 83: Attitudes toward health and cookies, by gender, August 2008
- Youth and middle ages and Hispanics indulge, most ages prefer regular cookies
-
- Figure 84: Attitudes toward health and cookies, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2008
- Children create clear differential in attitudes
-
- Figure 85: Attitudes toward health and cookies, by presence of children, August 2008
Interest in Trying New Types, Flavors and Brands of Cookies
-
- Key points
- Women more likely to experiment
-
- Figure 86: Interest in trying new types, flavors and brands of cookies, by gender, August 2008
- Younger adults will explore new cookies
-
- Figure 87: Interest in trying new types, flavors and brands of cookies, by age, August 2008
- Hispanics and HHs with children yet again the targets
-
- Figure 88: Interest in trying new types, flavors and brands of cookies, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2008
-
- Figure 89: Interest in trying new types, flavors and brands of cookies, by presence of children, August 2008
Attitudes and Opinions on Cookie Brands/Private Label
-
- Key points
- Adults aged 18-44 are most likely to try new cookies
-
- Figure 90: Attitudes and opinions on cookie brands/private label, by age, August 2008
- Hispanics and those with children focus on childhood brands and private label
-
- Figure 91: Attitudes and opinions on cookie brands/private label, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2008
-
- Figure 92: Attitudes and opinions on cookie brands/private label, by presence of children, August 2008
Cluster Analysis
-
- Cookie Cutters
- Comfort Seekers
- Conscientious Consumers
- Cluster characteristics
-
- Figure 93: Cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
- Figure 94: How often do you typically eat cookies, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
- Figure 95: In which of the following forms have you bought cookies in the past month, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
-
- Figure 96: Which of the following if any do you look for when choosing which type of cookie to buy, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
- Figure 97: Cookie consumption trend, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
-
- Figure 98: Cookies—buying patterns and attitudes towards, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
- Figure 99: Attitudes towards sweets, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
-
- Figure 100: Snacking and dieting behavior, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
- Figure 101: Eating habits for sweets and cookies, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
-
- Figure 102: Interest in trying new types, flavors and brands of cookies, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
- Figure 103: Attitudes and opinions on cookie brands/private label, by cookie consumer clusters, August 2008
- Cluster demographics
-
- Figure 104: Cookie consumer clusters, by gender, August 2008
- Figure 105: Cookie consumer clusters, by age, August 2008
- Figure 106: Cookie consumer clusters, by Hispanic origin, August 2008
-
- Figure 107: Cookie consumer clusters, by race, August 2008
- Figure 108: Cookie consumer clusters, by household income, August 2008
-
- Figure 109: Cookie consumer clusters, by marital status, August 2008
- Figure 110: Cookie consumer clusters, by presence of children, August 2008
- Cluster methodology
IRI/Builders—Key Household Purchase Measures
-
- Consumer insights on key purchase measures—cookies
- Brand map
-
- Figure 111: Brand map, selected brands of cookies, buying rate, by household penetration, 2007*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
-
- Figure 112: Key purchase measures for the top brands of cookies, by household penetration, 2007*
Custom Consumer Groups
-
- Frequency of eating cookies—Hispanic detail
- Age
-
- Figure 113: Incidence and volume of cookie consumption—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by age, August 2008
- Income
-
- Figure 114: Incidence and volume of cookie consumption—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by household income, August 2008
- This year’s cookie consumption—Hispanic detail
-
- Figure 115: Cookie consumption trend—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by age, August 2008
- Eating habits, cookies and sweets
-
- Figure 116: Cookies—buying patterns and attitudes towards—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by age, August 2008
-
- Figure 117: Attitudes towards sweets—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by age, August 2008
-
- Figure 118: Snacking and dieting behavior—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by age, August 2008
- Health and shopping
-
- Figure 119: Eating habits for sweets and cookies—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by age, August 2008
-
- Figure 120: Interest in trying new types, flavors and brands of cookies—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by age, August 2008
- Income
-
- Figure 121: Eating habits for sweets—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by household income, August 2008
-
- Figure 122: Interest in trying new types, flavors and brands of cookies—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by household income, August 2008
-
- Figure 123: Attitudes and opinions on cookie brands/private label—Hispanic/non-Hispanic, by age, August 2008
Appendix: IRI/Builders Panel Data Definitions
-
- IRI Consumer Network Metrics
Appendix: Other Useful Consumer Tables
-
- Cookie consumption by key demographics
- Cookie consumption by race/Hispanic origin
-
- Figure 124: Incidence and volume of cookie consumption, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2007-March 2008
- Cookie consumption by gender
-
- Figure 125: Incidence and volume of cookie consumption, by gender, February 2007-March 2008
- Cookie consumption by household size
-
- Figure 126: Incidence and volume of cookie consumption, by household size, February 2007-March 2008
- Types of cookies eaten in household by key demographics
- Types of cookies eaten in household by gender
-
- Figure 127: Type of cookies eaten in household, by gender, February 2007-March 2008
- Types of cookies eaten in household by household income
-
- Figure 128: Type of cookies eaten in household, by household income, February 2007-March 2008
- Types of cookies eaten in household by household size
-
- Figure 129: Type of cookies eaten in household, by household size, February 2007-March 2008
- Brand preferences in cookies by key demographics
- Adult ready-to-eat cookies brand preferences
-
- Figure 130: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten in household, February 2007-March 2008
- Adult ready-to-eat cookie brand preferences by gender
-
- Figure 131: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten in household, by gender, February 2007-March 2008
- Adult ready-to-eat cookie brand preferences by age
-
- Figure 132: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten in household, by age, February 2007-March 2008
- Adult ready-to-eat cookie brand preferences by household income
-
- Figure 133: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten in household, by household income, February 2007-March 2008
- Adult ready-to-eat cookie brand preferences by household size
-
- Figure 134: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten in household, by household size, February 2007-March 2008
- Teen ready-to-eat cookie brand preferences by gender
-
- Figure 135: Brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten in household—teens, by gender, January-November 2007
- Incidence and frequency of individual’s cookie consumption
-
- Figure 136: Incidence and frequency of individual’s cookie consumption by the respondent, by gender, August 2008
- Forms of cookies or cookie bars consumed
-
- Figure 137: Forms of cookies or cookie bars consumed, by household income, August 2008
- Health and other attributes considered when buying cookies
-
- Figure 138: Health and other attributes of interest to cookie buyers, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2008
-
- Figure 139: Health and other attributes of interest to cookie buyers, by household income, August 2008
-
- Figure 140: Health and other attributes of interest to cookie buyers, by presence of children, August 2008
- Cookie consumption trend
-
- Figure 141: Cookie consumption trend, by household income, August 2008
- Cookies—buying patterns and attitudes
-
- Figure 142: Cookies—buying patterns and attitudes towards, by race/Hispanic origin August 2008
- Attitudes toward health and cookies
-
- Figure 143: Attitudes toward health and cookies, by household income, August 2008
- Kids’ perceptions of how often their favorite cookies are available
-
- Figure 144: Kids’ perceptions of availability of favorite cookies in home, January-November 2007
Appendix: Trade Associations
Back to top