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Biscuits, Cookies and Crackers - UK - April 2015

INTRODUCTION
Definition
Abbreviations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Figure 1: Total UK retail value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack  bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2009-19
Market factors
Companies, brands and innovation
Masterbrand strategy helps United Biscuits extend its lead in sweet biscuits
Figure 2: Leading manufacturers in the sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars market, by value share, 2014/15*
Jacob’s masterbrand strategy boosts sales in savoury biscuits
Kellogg’s retains top spot in breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars despite falling sales
Free-from launches leap ahead, healthier sweet biscuits remain rare in NPD
The consumer
Nine in 10 adults eat sweet biscuits
Figure 3: Frequency of eating sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits/cereal bar, savoury biscuits, crackers and rice cakes, December 2014
Snacking remains central to biscuits
Figure 4: Occasions for eating sweet biscuits, savoury biscuits, cereal bars and crackers, December 2014
Health concerns are a barrier to eating sweet biscuits
Figure 5: Barriers to eating sweet biscuits, December 2014
Dryness is biggest barrier to savoury biscuits, crackers and crispbread usage
Figure 6: Barriers to eating crackers, savoury biscuits and crispbread, December 2014
Reduced calorie versions of favourite biscuits interest one in five
Figure 7: Interest in selected sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal bars product concepts, December 2014
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Lower-calorie sweet biscuits appeal to users
The facts
The implications
Breakfast biscuits with protein or fruit attract interest from users
The facts
The implications
Savoury biscuits, crackers and crispbread not considered a snack on their own
The facts
The implications
TREND APPLICATION
Trend: Sense of the Intense
Trend: Transumers
Trend: Life Hacking
MARKET DRIVERS
Key points
Consumers find themselves in a better financial situation in 2014
Figure 8: Consumers’ financial health index, January 2009-January 2015
Sugar attracts negative media in 2014
Growth of core sweet biscuits users good news for the market
Figure 9: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2009-14 and 2014-19
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Strengths
Weaknesses
WHO’S INNOVATING?
Key points
Healthy claims remain rare in sweet biscuits
Figure 10: NPD in the UK sweet biscuits market, top 15 claims in 2014, 2010-14
Free-from launches leap ahead in 2013
Healthier sweet biscuits remain rare in NPD
‘No added refined sugar’ biscuits should appeal
On-the-go positioning remains rare
Modest activity in premium segment
Biscuits continue to see category blurring
Chocolate brands continue to explore biscuits
Biscuits look to desserts
Traditional biscuits from other countries enter the UK market
Low-allergen claims leap ahead in savoury biscuits/crackers
Figure 11: NPD in the UK savoury biscuits/crackers market, top 15 claims in 2014, 2010-14
NPD in breakfast biscuits helps to inject interest into the category
Low-sugar and all-natural claims gain in cereal/snack bars in 2014
Figure 12: NPD in the UK cereal/snack/energy bar, top 15 claims in 2014, 2010-14
L/N/R sugar claims remain rare
Mainstream bars look to protein
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Key points
Market suffers from sugar concerns
Figure 13: Total UK retail volume and value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2009-19
Value sales expected to be propped up by inflation and trading up in the biscuits, cookies and crackers market
Figure 14: Total UK retail value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2009-19
Figure 15: Total UK retail volume sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2009-19
Methodology
SEGMENT PERFORMANCE
Key points
Treat biscuits struggle
Figure 16: Total UK retail volume and value sales of sweet biscuits, 2009-19
Figure 17: Total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, 2009-19
Figure 18: Total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, 2009-19
Savoury biscuits leap ahead
Figure 19: Total UK retail volume and value sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2009-19
Figure 20: Total UK retail value sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2009-19
Figure 21: Total UK retail volume sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, 2009-19
Cereal/snack bars lose their momentum in 2014
Figure 22: Total UK retail volume and value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2009-19
Figure 23: Total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2009-19
Figure 24: Total UK retail volume sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, 2009-19
Figure 25: UK retail value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, cereal/snack bars and breakfast biscuits, by segment, 2013 and 2014
Figure 26: UK retail volume sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, cereal/snack bars and breakfast biscuits, by segment, 2013 and 2014
MARKET SHARE
Key points
Sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars
Masterbrand strategy helps United Biscuits extend its lead
Fox’s embarks on revamp to re-energise sales
Oreo continues strong growth
Maryland looks to soft baked cookies for next hit
Kellogg’s retains leading position despite falling sales
Belvita gains share
Figure 27: Leading brands’ sales in the sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars market, by value and volume, 2013/14 and 2014/15
Figure 28: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars market, by value and volume, 2013/14 and 2014/15
Savoury biscuits, crackers and crispbread
Jacob’s masterbrand strategy boosts sales
Ritz leaps ahead with first TV campaign in decades
New entrants make their mark
Figure 29: Leading brands in the savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes market, by value and volume, 2012/13 and 2013/14
Figure 30: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes market, by value and volume, 2012/13 and 2013/14
COMPANIES AND PRODUCTS
United Biscuits
Background
Product range
Product innovation
Recent activity and promotion
Burton’s Biscuit Company
Background
Product range
Product innovation
Recent activity and promotion
Associated British Foods
Background
Product range and innovation
Recent activity and promotion
2 Sisters Food Group
Background
Product range
Product innovation
Recent activity and promotion
Mondelēz International
Background
Product range and innovation
Recent activity and promotion
Eat Natural
Background
Product range and innovation
General Mills
Background
Product range and innovation
Recent activity and promotion
Kellogg’s
Background
Product range and innovation
Recent activity and promotion
BRAND COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION
Key points
Adspend reaches a four-year high
Figure 31: Total above-the-line advertising expenditure in the UK sweet and savoury biscuits, crackers and breakfast biscuit/cereal bar market, 2011-14
Figure 32: Above-the-line advertising expenditure in the UK sweet and savoury biscuits, crackers and breakfast biscuit/cereal bar market, by segment, 2011-14
UB invests in the three-year ‘Sweeet’ masterbrand campaign
Mondelēz leads total adspend
Figure 33: Above-the-line advertising expenditure in the UK sweet and savoury biscuits, crackers and breakfast biscuit/cereal bar market, by top five advertisers’ share, 2011-14
Figure 34: Above-the-line advertising expenditure in the UK sweet and savoury biscuits, crackers and breakfast biscuits/cereal bars market, by top five advertisers, 2011-14
Playfulness provides the advertising theme for Oreo
ABF focuses on the versatility of Ryvita
BRAND RESEARCH – BISCUITS, COOKIES AND CRACKERS
What you need to know
Brand map
Figure 35: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, January 2015
Key brand metrics
Figure 36: Key metrics for selected brands, January 2015
Brand attitudes: The majority of these brands tend to have images built on perceptions of quality and strong reputations
Figure 37: Attitudes, by brand, January 2015
Brand personality: McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes and Fox’s enjoy the most upbeat brand images
Figure 38: Brand personality – macro image, January 2015
Healthiness is often associated with being bland
Figure 39: Brand personality – micro image, January 2015
Brand analysis
McVitie’s Digestives is an accessible and traditional option
Figure 40: User profile of McVitie’s Digestives, January 2015
McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes benefits from its unique product offering
Figure 41: User profile of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes, January 2015
Jacob’s accessibility creates usage despite a basic brand image
Figure 42: User profile of Jacob’s, January 2015
Fox’s has an upbeat image but lacks the trust enjoyed by the McVitie’s brands
Figure 43: User profile of Fox’s, January 2015
Nairn’s lacks indulgence but image of healthiness suggests potential for growth
Figure 44: User profile of Nairn’s, January 2015
Oreo’s specific appeal to younger groups limits overall scores
Figure 45: User profile of Oreo, January 2015
Ryvita most likely to be thought of as bland, but healthiness gives a specific purpose
Figure 46: User profile of Ryvita, January 2015
THE CONSUMER – USAGE OF BISCUITS, COOKIES AND CRACKERS
Key points
Nine in 10 adults eat sweet biscuits
Figure 47: Usage of biscuits, cookies and crackers, December 2014
Figure 48: Frequency of eating sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits/cereal bar, savoury biscuits, crackers and rice cakes, December 2014
Lighter versions of biscuits eaten by less than half of adults
Breakfast biscuits and light/low-fat biscuits attract similar users
Women are core users of savoury biscuits, crackers and crispbread
THE CONSUMER – OCCASIONS FOR EATING BISCUITS, COOKIES AND CRACKERS
Key points
Snacking remains central to biscuits
Figure 49: Occasions for eating sweet biscuits, savoury biscuits, cereal bars and crackers, December 2014
Biscuits lack treat associations
On-the-go usage remains low
Savoury biscuits tailored to a cheeseboard
THE CONSUMER – BARRIERS TO EATING BISCUITS, COOKIES AND CRACKERS
Key points
Health concerns are a barrier to eating sweet biscuits
Figure 50: Barriers to eating sweet biscuits, December 2014
Healthier variants have untapped potential
Perceived lack of portion control discourages sweet biscuit usage
Dryness is biggest barrier to savoury biscuits, crackers and crispbread usage
Figure 51: Barriers to eating crackers, savoury biscuits and crispbread, December 2014
THE CONSUMER – SWEET BISCUITS AND BREAKFAST BISCUITS/CEREAL BAR PRODUCT ENTICEMENTS
Key points
Reduced calorie versions of favourite biscuits interest one in five
Figure 52: Interest in selected sweet biscuits, breakfast biscuits and cereal bars product concepts, December 2014
Sugar-free biscuits sweetened with stevia appeal to one in seven
More indulgent biscuits could tap into treat behaviour
Heatable cookies/biscuits blur boundaries with dessert category
Breakfast biscuits with protein or fruit attract interest from users
A quarter of users are drawn to high-protein breakfast biscuits
Sweet biscuits tailored to hot drinks appeal to one in five
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Figure 53: Total UK retail value sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, best- and worst-case forecast, 2014-19
Figure 54: Total UK retail volume sales of sweet and savoury biscuits, breakfast biscuits, cereal/snack bars, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, best- and worst-case forecast, 2014-19
Figure 55: Total UK retail value sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, best- and worst-case forecast, 2014-19
Figure 56: Total UK retail volume sales of savoury biscuits, crackers, crispbread and rice cakes, best- and worst-case forecast, 2014-19
Figure 57: Total UK retail value sales of sweet biscuits, best- and worst-case forecast, 2014-19
Figure 58: Total UK retail volume sales of sweet biscuits, best- and worst-case forecast, 2014-19
Figure 59: Total UK retail value sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, best- and worst-case forecast, 2014-19
Figure 60: Total UK retail volume sales of breakfast biscuits and cereal/snack bars, best- and worst-case forecast, 2014-19

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