U.S. consumers consider snacks to be treats
While consumers may be growing more health-conscious with their food choices, it seems there is still room for life’s little indulgences. New research from Mintel reveals that the top reason Americans say they snack is to treat themselves (50%) and more than one quarter (28%) agree that taste is more important than health when choosing a snack.
While consumers may be growing more health-conscious with their food choices, it seems there is still room for life’s little indulgences. New research from Mintel reveals that the top reason Americans say they snack is to treat themselves (50%) and more than one quarter (28%) agree that taste is more important than health when choosing a snack.
In addition to rewarding one’s self, snacking for self-care continues to be a popular motivator as nearly two in five (37%) consumers say they snack to give themselves a break during the day and 24% snack to relieve stress. What’s more, 17% of Americans snack to control their weight, up from just 10% who said they snack to help them lose weight in 2015.
Despite the propensity to indulge, health plays a key role in the types of snacks consumers eat. One third (32%) of consumers say most snacks they eat are healthy and over one quarter (28%) say they are snacking on healthier foods this year than in 2016. In fact, snacks with health-related claims are among the fastest growing snack launches, with low/no/reduced allergen claims accounting for 46% of total new snack product launches in the United States in 2017, an increase of 30% over 2013, according to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD).
While the percentage of Americans who say they snack has remained steady in recent years (94% snack daily in 2017 and 2015), snack frequency is on the rise as those who say they snack two to three times per day increased from 50% in 2015 to 55% in 2017, while those who report snacking once per day decreased to from 29% to 24% over the same period.
“The importance of snacking in America is undeniable and it is creating more and more opportunity for companies and brands as snacking frequency increases, particularly among younger consumers,” said Beth Bloom, associate director of U.S. Food and Drink Reports at Mintel. “While health is a factor for consideration in food and drink decisions, the majority of snackers do so for a treat, meaning even health-focused snacks should appeal with messages about enjoyment and indulgence. In recent years, brands have focused product innovation largely on cleaner formulations, highlighting an opportunity for innovative products with health attributes that appeal to health-conscious consumers.”