Healthy Snacking: Future Trends & New Insights

Table of Contents

• DATAMONITOR VIEW
  • CATALYST
  • SUMMARY
• THE FUTURE DECODED
  • TREND: Consumer interest in healthy snack alternatives is increasing
    • The frequency of healthy snacking is increasing
    • Healthy snacks are consumed with greater regularity than unhealthy ones
    • Healthy snacking occasions now outnumber unhealthy ones
    • Healthy beverage occasions are leading the market in growth terms
      • Healthy snacking is viewed as a viable regular mealtime alternative by consumers
  • TREND: On-the-go lifestyles are fuelling healthy snacking behavior
    • Consumers' on-the-go snacking is less likely to be healthy
    • On-the-go beverage occasions are becoming more healthy across Europe
  • TREND: Consumer desires for less healthy, more indulgent snacks will remain
    • Traditional snacks retain a strong appeal to consumers
    • There is a clash between the notion of healthiness and snacking
      • Skepticism towards snack' s health claims persists
      • Poor alignment between "bad-for-you" snacks and healthy trends perpetuates consumer distrust
      • Health considerations have a limited bearing on traditional snack choices
  • INSIGHT: Healthy attitudes are influencing ingrained snacking behavior
    • Consumers are choosing healthy snacks to actively improve their diet and address bad habits
  • INSIGHT: Consumers seek to satisfy their health, convenience and indulgence requirements through snacking
    • Consumer demand for healthy indulgence is influencing new snack product releases
      • US beverage releases in particular are experiencing strong growth in healthy claims
  • INSIGHT: Consumer perceptions of what constitutes a healthy snack poses a challenge for the industry
    • Healthy versions of unhealthy snacks are not perceived as credibly healthy
  • INSIGHT: Taste is more important than healthiness in influencing snack and beverage choices
    • When making snack choices consumers place healthiness on a par with convenience, but behind taste
    • "Healthy" is often equated with compromized taste and flavor benefits by many consumers
  • INSIGHT: The emphasis on healthy snacking for kids will fuel market growth in the future
    • Companies are already responding to the children' s healthy snack movement
• ACTION POINTS
  • ACTION: More clearly link the notion of authenticity with health in snacks
    • Consumers are seeking more authenticity
    • Authenticity = better quality = healthier
      • Consumers want authentic, simple and thus healthy snacks
  • ACTION: Respond to consumers' changing health priorities in snack formulation and positioning
    • Case Study: One-shot fruit drinks offer quick convenient solutions to health on-the-go
    • Case study: Coca-Cola augments the Minute Maid juice range to target functional health
    • Back up healthy attributes with a strong sensory appeal
  • ACTION: Tailor product positioning and goals relative to the three consumer trends of avoidance, moderation and positive nutrition
  • ACTION: Focus on providing credible healthy offerings within typically "carefree" categories
    • Case Study: the Spanish market for functional cookies
• APPENDIX
  • Definitions
  • Methodology
  • Further reading
  • Ask the analyst
  • Datamonitor consulting
  • Disclaimer
  • List of Tables
    • Table 1: Consumer survey results: the extent to which consumers are making an effort to improve the health of their snacking behaviors
    • Table 2: Consumer survey results: frequency of consumption of healthy snack products
    • Table 3: Consumer survey results: frequency of consumption of unhealthy snack products
    • Table 4: Number of overall and per capita ' healthy and ' unhealthy' snacking occasions, by country, 2006-2011
    • Table 5: Number of overall and per capita ' healthy and ' unhealthy' non-alcoholic beverage occasions, by country, 2006-2011
    • Table 6: Consumer survey: the extent to which European consumers sought food and drinks which are both convenient AND healthy compared to 12 months previously, 2006
    • Table 7: Number of overall and per capita ' healthy and ' unhealthy' on-the-go snacking occasions snacking occasions, by country, 2006-2011
    • Table 8: Number of overall and per capita ' healthy and ' unhealthy' on-the-go non-alcoholic beverage occasions, by country, 2006-2011
    • Table 9: Per capita consumption (liters) of bottled water and carbonates, Europe & US, by country, 2002-2011
    • Table 10: Consumer survey: the impact of healthy options on impulse driven snack and beverage choices
    • Table 11: Consumer survey: reasons for engaging in healthy snacking
    • Table 12: Consumer survey: perceptions concerning the healthiness of key snack food categories
    • Table 13: Consumer survey: the relative importance of different need states in influencing snack choices
    • Table 14: Consumers see "fresh" as the key indicator of healthiness in the snacking context
  • List of Figures
    • Figure 1: The majority of US and European consumers are actively looking to eat more healthily
    • Figure 2: Consumers do not view healthy snacking as a nutritional compromize like they did historically
    • Figure 3: Busy consumers are looking for a combination of convenience and health
    • Figure 4: Unhealthy snacks retain a strong share of occasions and are declining slowly
    • Figure 5: Unhealthy snack beverages dominate occasions in Europe and the US
    • Figure 6: The majority of consumers doubt the health claims of snack foods and beverages
    • Figure 7: Eat sweets to look prettier? Unhealthy products jumping on the wrong functional/healthy trend add to questioning of healthy snacks' credibility
    • Figure 8: Consumers want to escape the pressures of everyday life through small indulgences
    • Figure 9: Health is becoming an increasingly prominent product claim in indulgent/snack categories
    • Figure 10: Beverage releases in the US lead Europe in claiming healthy attributes
    • Figure 11: Coca-Cola Zero focuses on delivering a healthier version of the original Coke taste
    • Figure 12: Authenticity in ingredients and production processes supports snacks' health claims
    • Figure 13: Current snack products that respond to consumers' indicators of healthiness
    • Figure 14: Shot-based fruit and vegetable drinks offer answers to a variety of consumer health needs
    • Figure 15: Healthy snack targeting can be guided by the three trends of avoidance, moderation and positive nutrition
    • Figure 16: Healthy snack variants in "carefree" categories are proliferating