Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Minimal growth in total sales
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- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- Sales of sweet biscuits holding firm amid sugar concerns
- Focus on sugar and price pressures a threat to future sales
- No sign of people cutting back on eating biscuits in 2015
- Savoury biscuits eaten less frequently than sweet biscuits
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- Figure 2: Frequency of eating different types of biscuits, cookies, crackers and cereal bars, December 2015
- Sweet biscuits most likely to be eaten as a snack at home
- Lots of filling or a thick covering most likely to encourage trading up
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- Figure 3: Factors that would encourage buyers to pay more for sweet biscuits, December 2015
- Linking biscuits more strongly to particular occasions
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- Figure 4: Interest in trying different types of biscuit products, December 2015
- Concerns about sugar and interest in alternatives to refined sugar
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- Figure 5: Attitudes towards biscuits, December 2015
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- New pack formats and product pairings can expand usage occasions in biscuits
- The facts
- The implications
- Fillings and freshness offer ways to add value to sweet biscuits to combat lacklustre volume sales
- The facts
- The implications
- Threat from concerns about sugar and focus on health and nutrition
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Small increase in sales of biscuits
- Sweet biscuit sales holding up amid sugar concerns
- Baked snacks help sales of savoury biscuits
- Strong NPD activity in cereal bars and breakfast biscuits
- Focus on sugar in media could impact on future sales
- Growing real incomes but a changed retail landscape
- Increased competition in snack foods
- Growth in the child population and number of over-55s
Market Size and Forecast
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- Small increase in sales of biscuits and cereal bars in 2015
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- Figure 6: Total UK retail volume and value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- The future
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- Figure 7: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- Figure 8: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail volume sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
Segment Performance
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- Sweet biscuit sales hold firm amid sugar concerns
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- Figure 9: Total UK retail volume and value sales of sweet biscuits, 2010-20
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- Figure 10: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, 2010-20
- Figure 11: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, 2010-20
- Savoury biscuits helped by appeal of baked snacks
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- Figure 12: Total UK retail volume and value sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
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- Figure 13: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- Figure 14: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- NPD activity helps sales of cereal bars and breakfast biscuits
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- Figure 15: Total UK retail volume and value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2010-20
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- Figure 16: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2010-20
- Figure 17: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2010-20
Market Drivers
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- Focus on sugar and obesity epidemic could hit biscuits
- Ongoing focus on sugar
- Little impact on biscuits
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- Figure 18: Factors deemed important when looking for healthy food, November 2015
- Growth in real incomes but a changed retail landscape
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- Figure 19: Frequency of visiting discount stores, by brand, July 2015
- Competition and blurring of product boundaries in snack foods
- Projected increase in the number of children and over-55s
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- Figure 20: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2010-20
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- McVitie’s benefits from new launch and promotional activity
- Jacob’s strengthens its lead in savoury biscuits
- Belvita benefits from range extensions
- Less advertising for sweet biscuits hits total spending in 2015
- McVitie’s and Oreo lead sweet biscuit advertising
- Snack versatility a major theme in savoury biscuits
- Breakfast biscuits focus on getting your morning going
- Four in ten sweet biscuit launches by retailers
- More flavours and bite-size snacks in savoury biscuits
- Snack/cereal/energy bars focus on functional benefits
Market Share
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- McVitie’s has big lead in sweet biscuits
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- Figure 21: Leading brands’ sales in the sweet biscuits market, by value and volume, 2013/14 and 2014/15
- Jacob’s puts in a strong sales performance
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- Figure 22: Leading brands in the savoury biscuits, crackers and crispbread market, by value and volume, 2013/14 and 2014/15
- Belvita benefits from extensions to its product range
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- Figure 23: Leading brands in the cereal bars and breakfast biscuits market, by value and volume, 2013/14 and 2014/15
Brand Communication and Promotion
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- Decline in total spending on advertising biscuits
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- Figure 24: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on biscuits, short bread, crackers/crisp breads, breadsticks/savoury and cereal bars/breakfast biscuits, 2012-15
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- Figure 25: Share of recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on biscuits, short bread, crackers/crisp breads, breadsticks/savoury and cereal bars/breakfast biscuits, by segment, 2012-15
- Advertising dominated by three companies
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- Figure 26: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on biscuits, short bread, crackers/crisp breads, breadsticks/savoury and cereal bars/breakfast biscuits, by top advertisers, 2012-15
- Oreo and McVitie’s the most advertised sweet biscuit brands
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- Figure 27: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on sweet biscuits and short bread, by leading brands by spend, 2015
- Savoury biscuits focus on snack versatility
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- Figure 28: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on savoury biscuits, by leading brands, 2015
- Belvita leads advertising in breakfast biscuits
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- Figure 29: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on cereal bars and breakfast biscuits, by leading brands, 2015
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Increased NPD activity in cereal and energy bars
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- Figure 30: New product launches in the UK biscuits, cookies and crackers market, share by sub-category, January 2011-December 2015
- Retailers account for four in ten sweet biscuit launches
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- Figure 31: New product launches in the UK sweet biscuits/cookies market, share by top 15 companies*, January 2011-December 2015
- Expanding range of flavours in cookies
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- Figure 32: Examples of own-label product launches in the UK sweet biscuits/cookies market, 2015
- DeliChoc arrives from continental Europe
- Belvita expands breakfast biscuits range
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- Figure 33: Examples of branded launches in breakfast biscuits in the UK sweet biscuits/cookies market, 2015
- Making more of absence of additives and preservatives
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- Figure 34: New product launches in the UK sweet biscuits/cookies market, share by top 15 claims*, January 2011-December 2015
- Savoury biscuits/crackers sees fragmented launch activity
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- Figure 35: Examples of own-label product launches in the UK savoury biscuits/crackers market, 2015
- New look packaging for Jacob’s part of UB’s masterbrand strategy
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- Figure 36: Examples of branded product launches and relaunches by Ryvita in the UK savoury biscuits/crackers market, 2015
- Blurring of boundaries between savoury biscuits and crisps
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- Figure 37: New product launches in the UK savoury biscuits/crackers market, share by top 15 companies*, January 2011-December 2015
- More ‘better for you’ claims in savoury biscuits
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- Figure 38: New product launches in the UK savoury biscuits/crackers market, share by top 15 claims*, January 2011-December 2015
- Fewer own-label launches in snack/cereal/energy bars
- Cereal bars adopt flavours from sweet treats
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- Figure 39: Examples of new flavours in the UK snack/cereal/energy bars, 2015
- Figure 40: New product launches in the UK snack/cereal/energy bars, share by top 15 companies*, January 2011-December 2015
- Healthy claims continue to grow in cereal/snack bars
- More cereal bars preparing for possible sugar backlash
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- Figure 41: New product launches in the UK snack/cereal/energy bars, share by top 15 claims, January 2011-December 2015
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- No sign of people cutting back on eating biscuits
- More people eating lighter biscuits and cereal bars
- Sweet biscuits eaten most as a snack between meals at home
- Linking other foods to savoury and breakfast biscuits
- Indulgent sweet biscuits most likely to encourage trading up
- Increasing the eating of biscuits for particular occasions
- Extending biscuit brands into other categories
- Concerns about sugar yet to impact sales
- Savoury biscuits can appeal as a healthier snack option
Frequency of Eating Different Types of Biscuits
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- Everyone eats biscuits
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- Figure 42: Types of biscuits, cookies, crackers and cereal bars eaten in the last three months, December 2014 and December 2015
- No sign of people cutting back on sweet biscuits
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- Figure 43: Frequency of eating biscuits, cookies, crackers and cereal bars, by type, December 2015
- Men less likely than women to eat savoury biscuits
- Breakfast biscuits and cereal bars appeal for on-the-go eating
Occasions for Eating Biscuits
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- Sweet biscuits help to fill gap between meals
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- Figure 44: Occasions for eating different types of biscuits, December 2015
- Making more of sweet biscuits with hot drinks
- Breakfast biscuits not just eaten at breakfast
- Savoury biscuits eaten most as a snack between meals
Factors Encouraging Buyers to Pay More for Sweet Biscuits
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- Voluminous fillings and coatings seen most widely as worth a premium
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- Figure 45: Factors that would encourage buyers to pay more for sweet biscuits, December 2015
- A fifth willing to pay more for premium ingredients
- Freshness adds to the appeal of sweet biscuits
- Little willingness to pay more for healthier and ethical ingredients
- British ingredients can also help to add value
Interest in Trying Different Types of Biscuit Products
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- Interest in alternatives to refined sugar
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- Figure 46: Interest in trying different types of biscuit products, December 2015
- Making more of having biscuits with coffee
- Catering for a range of eating occasions with mini packs
- Room for wider range of fillings, textures and biscuit coatings
- Extending biscuit brands into other product categories
Attitudes towards Biscuits
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- Concern about sugar in biscuits but little impact on sales
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- Figure 47: Attitudes towards biscuits, December 2015
- Artificial ingredients a majority concern
- Savoury biscuits seen as healthier than sweet biscuits
- Crackers appeal beyond cheese and biscuits
- Plenty of potential for premium biscuits as gifts
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Fan chart forecast
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 48: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- Figure 49: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail volume sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- Figure 50: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, 2010-20
- Figure 51: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, 2010-20
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- Figure 52: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- Figure 53: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2010-20
- Figure 54: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2010-20
- Figure 55: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2010-20
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- Figure 56: UK retail volume sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, cereal/snack bars and breakfast biscuits, by segment, 2014 and 2015
- Figure 57: UK retail volume sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, cereal bars and breakfast biscuits, by segment, 2014 and 2015
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 58: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the sweet biscuits market, by value and volume, 2013/14 and 2014/15
- Figure 59: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the savoury biscuits, crackers and crispbread market, by value and volume, 2013/14 and 2014/15
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- Figure 60: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the cereal bars and breakfast biscuits market, by value and volume, 2013/14 and 2014/15
- Figure 61: New product launches in the UK biscuits, cookies, crackers and snack/cereal bars market, branded vs private label share by category, January-December 2015
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