Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Solid growth for sweet biscuits and cereal bars
- Continuing NPD crucial to sales growth
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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, 2012-22
- Sweet biscuits show strong sales growth
- Positive health perceptions and NPD help cereal bars
- Sugar reduction guideline set for biscuit companies
- Ageing population could limit sales growth
- Companies and brands
- McVitie’s Digestives has big lead in sweet biscuits
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- Figure 2: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the regular sweet biscuits market, by value, 2017/18*
- KitKat accounts for a fifth of chocolate biscuit bar sales
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- Figure 3: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the chocolate biscuit bars market, by value, 2017/18*
- Kellogg’s sales continue to decline
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- Figure 4: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars market, by value, 2017/18*
- Focus on more indulgent treats and new flavours
- Well-known brands move into biscuits and snack bars
- Cereal/snack bars look to on-trend flavours
- Protein and superfood ingredients feature in NPD
- The consumer
- Sweet biscuits have almost universal appeal
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- Figure 5: Types of sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars eaten in the last 3 months, February 2018
- Just 9% of eaters snack on sweet biscuits daily
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- Figure 6: Frequency of eating sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, February 2018
- Sweet biscuits have a place in out-of-home snacking
- Indulgent and healthier options both wanted
- Interest in more flavours and texture combinations
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- Figure 7: Interest in product features for sweet biscuits, February 2018
- High incidence of trying new products
- Seven in 10 limit their eating of biscuits
- Biscuits not just for sharing for most people
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- Figure 8: Behaviour in relation to sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, February 2018
- Handmade biscuits and nicer packaging give premium cues
- A raft of products compete for sharing occasions
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- Figure 9: Attitudes towards sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, February 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Focusing on indulgence offers a way to add value to sales
- The facts
- The implications
- Catering for demand for better-for-you snacking important
- The facts
- The implications
- Format development can help unlock more occasions
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Solid sales growth for sweet biscuits and cereal bars
- Biscuits face challenge to grow volume sales
- Continuing NPD crucial to sales growth
- Sweet biscuits enjoy strong sales growth
- Positive health perceptions and NPD help cereal bars
- Sugar reduction guideline set for biscuit companies
- War on sugar fuels consumer concern about ingredients
- Snacking culture drives demand for biscuits
- Ageing population could limit sales growth
- Growth in child population important
Market Size and Forecast
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- Sweet biscuits and cereal bars record solid sales growth
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- Figure 10: Total UK retail volume and value sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
- Biscuits face challenge increasing volume sales
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- Figure 11: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
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- Figure 12: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
- Forecast methodology
Segment Performance
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- Sweet biscuits show strong sales growth
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- Figure 13: Total UK retail volume and value sales of sweet biscuits, 2012-22
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- Figure 14: UK retail value and volume sales of sweet biscuits, by biscuits and chocolate biscuit bars, 2015-17
- Spotlight on sugar stands to curb volume growth
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- Figure 15: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, 2012-22
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- Figure 16: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, 2012-22
- Positive health perceptions and NPD helping cereal bars
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- Figure 17: Total UK retail volume and value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
- Guilt-free image should support future demand
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- Figure 18: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
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- Figure 19: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
Market Drivers
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- Sugar reduction a challenge for biscuit companies
- Government sets 2020 targets
- PHE encouraging healthier kids’ snacking
- Sugar also a big concern for consumers
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- Figure 20: Top five factors deemed important when looking for healthy food, November 2017
- Snacking culture important for biscuit sales
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- Figure 21: Attributes important when looking for a snack, February 2018
- Home baking only a small threat to biscuit sales
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- Figure 22: 'I bake sweet biscuits/cookies at home’, by age, February 2018
- Ageing population could limit sales growth
- Growth in child population important
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- Figure 23: Trends in age structure of the UK population, 2012-22
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- McVitie’s Digestives has big lead in sweet biscuits
- KitKat accounts for a fifth of chocolate biscuit bar sales
- Kellogg’s sales continue to decline
- Focus on more indulgent treats
- New flavours look to add more excitement
- Well-known brands move into biscuits and snack bars
- Cereal/snack bars look to on-trend flavours and ingredients
- Protein and superfood ingredients features of NPD
- Marked increase in 2017 advertising spending
- McVitie’s stands for quality and good value
Market Share
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- McVitie’s Digestives has big lead in sweet biscuits
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- Figure 24: Leading brands’ sales in the sweet biscuits market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
- Mixed fortunes in chocolate biscuit bars
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- Figure 25: Leading brands’ sales in the chocolate biscuit bars market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
- Kellogg’s sales continue to decline
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- Figure 26: Leading brands’ sales in the breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Focus on indulgent treats
- Melting middles add more texture variety
- New flavours being used to add more excitement
- More Thins ranges launched
- Bites and mini biscuits add more variety
- New entries and brand extensions
- Nutella moves into biscuit bars
- Chocolate brands expand their presence in biscuits
- Range of gluten-free products increasing
- Belvita adds new products to breakfast range
- Mars launches Goodness Knows
- Major brands look to on-trend flavours and ingredients
- On-trend flavours appear in bars
- Products with ‘protein’ labels a continuing feature of NPD
- Superfood ingredients can help give products standout
- PHE’s 2020 target ups the pressure for sugar reduction
- New recipe for Kellogg’s range
- 28% of biscuit launches meet PHE target
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Marked increase in 2017 advertising spending
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- Figure 27: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sweet biscuits, shortbread, cereal bars and breakfast biscuits, 2014-18
- Figure 28: Share of total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sweet biscuits, shortbread, cereal bars and breakfast biscuits, by segment, 2014-18
- Mondelēz leads spending in sweet biscuits
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- Figure 29: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sweet biscuits and shortbread, by top 10 advertisers (sorted by 2017), 2014-18
- Oreo most heavily supported brand
- Nibbles accounts for biggest part of McVitie’s ‘Sweeet’ advertising
- Bahlsen increases advertising support
- Border Biscuits takes nostalgic theme
- Lotus Biscoff looks to appeal to younger audience
- Return to advertising for Maryland in 2018
- Big increase in spending for cereal bars and breakfast biscuits
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- Figure 30: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cereal bars and breakfast biscuits, by advertiser, 2014-18
- Belvita pushes Good Mornings campaign
- Big support for Nutella B-Ready launch
- Tennis tie-ups for Nature Valley
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research
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- Brand map
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- Figure 31: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, April 2018
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 32: Key metrics for selected brands, April 2018
- Brand attitudes: Oreo seen as a more innovative brand
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- Figure 33: Attitudes, by brand, April 2018
- Brand personality: Cadbury Biscuits the most fun brand
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- Figure 34: Brand personality – Macro image, April 2018
- McVitie’s most traditional and family brand
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- Figure 35: Brand personality – Micro image, April 2018
- Brand analysis
- Cadbury Biscuits the most delicious and indulgent brand
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- Figure 36: User profile of Cadbury Biscuits, April 2018
- McVitie’s offers the best value
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- Figure 37: User profile of McVitie’s, April 2018
- Fox’s seen as a traditional and family brand
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- Figure 38: User profile of Fox’s, April 2018
- Being indulgent a key strength for Bahlsen
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- Figure 39: User profile of Bahlsen, April 2018
- Maryland good value but less innovative
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- Figure 40: User profile of Maryland, April 2018
- Oreo seen as innovative, fun and most cool brand
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- Figure 41: User profile of Oreo, April 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Sweet biscuits have almost universal appeal
- Just 9% of eaters snack on sweet biscuits daily
- Sweet biscuits have a place in out-of-home snacking
- Indulgent and healthier options both wanted
- Interest in more flavours and texture combinations
- High incidence of trying new products
- Seven in 10 limit their eating of biscuits
- Biscuits not just for sharing for most people
- Handmade biscuits and nicer packaging give premium cues
- A raft of products compete for sharing occasions
Eating of Sweet Biscuits and Cereal/Snack Bars
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- Sweet biscuits have almost universal appeal
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- Figure 42: Number of different types of sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars eaten in the last 3 months, February 2018
- Seven in 10 Brits eat chocolate biscuits
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- Figure 43: Types of sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars eaten in the last 3 months, February 2018
Frequency of Eating Sweet Biscuits and Cereal/Snack Bars
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- Few eaters snack on biscuits more than three times a week
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- Figure 44: Frequency of eating sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, February 2018
When People Eat Sweet Biscuits and Cereal/Snack Bars
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- Sweet biscuits make inroads into out-of-home snacking
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- Figure 45: When people eat sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, February 2018
- Cereal/snack bars a popular breakfast option
- Breakfast biscuits are not just for breakfast
Interest in Product Features
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- Indulgent and healthier options both wanted
- Demand for thick chocolate blurs category boundaries
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- Figure 46: Interest in product features for sweet biscuits, February 2018
- Wholegrain, fruit pieces and oats appeal
- Interest in more flavours and texture combinations
Consumer Behaviour in Relation to Sweet Biscuits and Cereal/Snack Bars
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- High incidence of trying new products fuels need for constant NPD
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- Figure 47: Behaviour in relation to sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, February 2018
- Seven in 10 limit their eating of biscuits
- Biscuits are not just for sharing for most people
Attitudes towards Sweet Biscuits and Cereal/Snack Bars
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- Handmade sweet biscuits and nicer packaging give premium cues
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- Figure 48: Attitudes towards sweet biscuits and cereal/snack bars, February 2018
- A raft of products compete for sharing occasions
- Younger people are most drawn to indulgent and guilt-free options
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Forecast methodology
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- Figure 49: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
- Figure 50: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
Appendix – Segment Performance
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- Figure 51: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, 2012-22
- Figure 52: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, 2012-22
- Figure 53: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
- Figure 54: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK retail volume sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2012-22
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Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 55: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the regular sweet biscuits market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
- Figure 56: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the chocolate biscuit bars market, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
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- Figure 57: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, by value and volume, 2016/17 and 2017/18
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Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 58: New product launches in the UK sweet biscuits/cookies market, share by top 15 companies*, January 2013-December 2017
- Figure 59: New product launches in the UK sweet biscuits/cookies market, share by top 15 claims*, January 2013-December 2017
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- Figure 60: New product launches in the UK snack/cereal/energy bars, share by top 15 companies*, January 2013-December 2017
- Figure 61: New product launches in the UK snack/cereal/energy bars, share by top 15 claims*, January 2013-December 2017
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