Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- Companies and brands
- Health remains an issue
- Consumer caution – and price rises – could hit discretionary spending
- Cakes lead NPD
- Health-led NPD
- Adspend up in 2016; with Mars in the lead
- Trust and differentiation is high for snacking brands
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- Figure 1: Attitudes towards and usage of selected snacking brands, February 2017
- The consumer
- 93% snack
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- Figure 2: Snacks eaten between meals, December 2016
- 63% snack once a day or more, rising to 76% of 16-34s
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- Figure 3: Frequency of eating snacks, December 2016
- 79% snack at home
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- Figure 4: Where people typically snack, December 2016
- Opportunities for NPD that facilitates out of home occasions
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- Figure 5: Behaviours related to snacking, December 2016
- Taste trumps health for 52%
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- Figure 6: Attitudes towards snacking, December 2016
- Health is a priority in the morning; indulgence of an evening
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- Figure 7: Correspondence analysis of attributes sought for snacking occasions, December 2016
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Smaller formats offer portion control and permissibility to allow snackers to stay in the market
- The facts
- The implications
- Portability would aid snackers across multiple locations
- The facts
- The implications
- Targeting ‘day-parts’ such as morning or evening provide an opportunity to manufacturers
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Health remains an issue
- Consumer caution – and price rises – could hit discretionary spending
- Cakes lead NPD
- Health-led NPD
- Adspend up in 2016; with Mars in the lead
- Trust and differentiation is high for snacking brands
Market Drivers
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- Health remains an issue
- Obesity keeps healthy eating on government agenda
- Sugar is a top concern…
- …but there is room for indulgence
- Consumer caution – and price rises – could hit discretionary spending
- Household budgets to come under pressure
- Rising snack prices
- “Shrinkflation”
- Demographic changes could impact the market
- Younger people are the core snackers
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- Figure 8: Those snacking once a day or more, by age, December 2016
- Growth in over-55s poses a challenge
- Catering to families
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Definition
- Cakes lead NPD
- Premier Foods targets OTG and young
- Pladis relaunches on-the-go cakes
- Brands dominate NPD, Asda retains lead in 2016
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- Figure 9: New product launches in the UK snacks market, by brands vs own-label, 2012-16
- On-the-go launches remain niche
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- Figure 10: New product launches in the UK snacks market, by the on-the-go claim, 2012-16
- Biscuits look to OTG with smaller packs
- New savoury snacks look to portability
- Haribo extends impulse range
- Sharing occasions continue to provide an incentive to NPD
- In crisps
- …chocolate
- …biscuits
- …and cakes
- Healthier snacks for sharing
- Tapping into seasonal occasions
- Smaller packs/pieces offer portion control
- Biscuits and cakes
- Cheese snacks look to minis and bars
- The “thins” trend continues in snacking
- Health-led NPD
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- Figure 11: New product launches in the UK snacks market, by selected health claims, 2012-16
- Sugar claims remain low, despite rise
- Yogurt brands continue to focus on fat and sugar
- Focusing on positive nutrition
- In cakes and cake bars
- Ancient grains and pulses
- Mars looks to high protein in chocolate
- Gluten-free claims continue to rise
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- Figure 12: New product launches in the UK snacks market, by the gluten-free claim, 2012-16
- Flavour innovation provides a means of differentiation
- Sweet and salty trend
- South American flavours
- Brands look to adult-inspired flavours for premiumisation
- Flavour tie-ups
- Doritos looks to mystery and dual-flavours
- Snackification seen in other food categories
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Adspend up 10% to £290 million in 2016, with chocolate continuing to take the lead
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- Figure 13: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on snacks, 2013-16
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- Figure 14: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on snacks, by category (sorted by 2016), 2013-16
- Mars is highest spending advertiser, despite cutting back
- Mars maintains support for Galaxy…
- …and marks M&M anniversary and Olympics
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- Figure 15: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on snacks, by top 10 advertisers (sorted by 2016), 2013-16
- Mondelēz increases spend on Cadbury and Ritz and Thin
- Cadbury supports singles bars with ‘Obey Your Mouth’
- Return of the Milk Tray Man and Snapchat for Crème Egg
- Focus on baked and flavour for Ritz
- Ferrero focuses on Christmas
- Hotel Chocolat dramatically increases spend
- Nestlé supports KitKat and Rowntree’s
- Haribo continues Kids’ Voices campaign
- Walkers maintains consistent adspend, Hula Hoops to return to screens
- Walkers dominates adspend on crisps
- Doritos continues its ‘For the Bold’ campaign
- Hula Hoops to return to screens
- Yogurt advertisers increase spend
- Müller supports Corners and Light
- Danone centres on ‘inner strength’ for Activia
- Pladis increases spend in biscuits
- Campaigns through alternative channels
- Cadbury sponsors the Premier League
- Danone teams up with Spotify
- KitKat brings Chocolatory pop-up to the UK
- KitKat and Mr Kipling look to on-pack activity
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research
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- Methodology
- Brand map
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- Figure 16: Attitudes towards and usage of selected snacking brands, February 2017
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 17: Key metrics for selected snack brands, February 2017
- Brand attitudes: Haribo stands out as ‘innovative’
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- Figure 18: Attitudes, by snacking brand, February 2017
- Brand personality: Cadbury Dairy Milk has a relatively staid image
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- Figure 19: Brand personality – Macro image, February 2017
- Brand personality: Maltesers seen to be most ‘delicious’
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- Figure 20: Brand personality – Micro image, February 2017
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- 93% snack
- 63% snack once a day or more, rising to 76% of 16-34s
- 79% snack at home
- Opportunities for NPD that facilitates out of home occasions
- Taste trumps health for 52%
- Health is a priority in the morning; indulgence of an evening
Snack Usage
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- 93% snack
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- Figure 21: Snacks eaten between meals, December 2016
- Fresh fruit is the most popular snack
- Less healthy options also prove popular
- 49% eat five or more types of snacks
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- Figure 22: Repertoire of snacks eaten between meals, December 2016
- 63% snack once a day or more, rising to 76% of 16-34s
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- Figure 23: Frequency of eating snacks, December 2016
- 79% snack at home
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- Figure 24: Where people typically snack, December 2016
- Out of home occasions are also common
- 47% of employees snack at work
- 18% snack on-the-go, rising to 30% of 16-24s
Behaviours Related to Snacking
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- Opportunities for NPD that facilitates out of home occasions
- Resealability is in high demand
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- Figure 25: Behaviours related to snacking, December 2016
- 57% cut back for health reasons
- Smaller, luxurious versions appeal
- Newness acts as a prompt, especially to 16-34s
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- Figure 26: Those answering “Yes” to the statement “I'm prompted to try new snacks when I see something new (eg a new flavour, a new product)”, by age, December 2016
- Parents of under-18s are most open to new snacks from well-known brands
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- Figure 27: Consumer snacking – CHAID – Tree output, December 2016
Attitudes towards Snacking
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- Taste trumps health for 52%
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- Figure 28: Attitudes towards snacking, December 2016
- Room for healthier versions
- Surprising acceptance of positive nutrition in indulgent snacks
- Portion control offers permissibility
- ‘Mini’ packs appeal widely
- Parents struggle to find snacks suitable for the whole household
Attributes Sought for Snacking Occasions
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- Health is a priority in the morning…
- Energy and fillingness also appeal
- …while indulgence rises as a priority throughout the day
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- Figure 29: Correspondence analysis of attributes sought for snacking occasions, December 2016
- Figure 30: Attributes sought for snacking occasions, December 2016
- Opportunities for night-focused snacking
- Methodology
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- CHAID – Methodology
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- Figure 31: Consumer snacking – CHAID – Table output, December 2016
Appendix – Market Drivers
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- Figure 32: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2011-21
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Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 33: Share of new product launches in the UK snack market, by top 10 sub-categories, 2012-16
- Figure 34: Share of new product launches in the UK snack market, by top 10 flavour components, 2012-16
- Figure 35: Share of new product launches in the UK snack market, by top 15 textures, 2012-16
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