Leading biscuit manufacturer pladis has launched its Annual Biscuit Review, which urges retailers to seize the opportunity to add £330 million of additional biscuit sales over three years by tapping into its estimate of an anticipated £1.2 billion rise in snacking over the same period.

Now in its fourth year, the in-depth category review highlights key areas for retailers to cash in on the category’s new snacking hotspots while at the same time protecting the £2.6 billion core biscuits fixture, which on its own has added another £33 million of retail sales in the past year.

“It’s easy to forget the huge contribution that biscuits make to the sales of retailers and foodservice operators of all sizes,” explained Stuart Graham, customer marketing director at pladis UK & Ireland. “Which is why our latest Annual Biscuit Review is probably the most important we have launched to date.

“This year’s Review will serve as an invaluable resource for retailers, wholesalers and foodservice operators looking to make the most of this ever-evolving category’s hottest new opportunities, as well as containing key advice about how to protect core sales by stocking the right range.”

He said nine out of 10 shoppers now claim to snack multiple times per day, while one in 14 (7%) forego meals altogether and simply rely on snacks to keep them going: “So it’s essential that retailers are stocking the right biscuit formats and products to help inform purchasing decisions,” said Graham. “It’s also important that retailers think about the type of shoppers that are coming into their stores, so that they can dial up the key growth drivers accordingly.”

The key snacking growth drivers identified in pladis’ Annual Biscuit Review are:

BALANCE:

- 39% of snack consumers look for healthy products all or most of the time when choosing a snack

- 41% say it’s hard to know which snacks are good for you, but 32% actively avoid buying processed ones

- 63% would rather eat a naturally healthy snack than a light version of a less healthy snack

- 47% of mothers feel that their family has too much sugar in their diets

Example product – go ahead! Nutty Crunch

SUSTAIN:

- 50% of snack consumers working full time say their busy lifestyles makes snacking a necessity

- 64% of snack consumers feel snacks are important to keep energy levels up throughout the day

- 37% of consumers will snack instead of having a proper meal at least once a week

- 57% of 16–24 year olds and 58% of parents with children under five use snacks to forego meals

Example products – Grenade, Fulfil or Trek

DISCOVERY:

- 95% of innovation fails within its first year, yet snack consumers want innovation above all else

- 53% of savoury snackers say they are prompted to buy when they see new flavours in shops

- 25% of UK consumers would be interested in snacks with flavours inspired by authentic street food

- 58% of consumers like to eat new things and 37% like looking for new snacks when shopping

Example product – Flipz

INDULGENCE:

- 52% of snack consumers think that taste is more important than healthiness

- 66% of UK consumers think unhealthy snacks are fine as part of a balanced diet

- 38% of UK chocolate eaters believe the emotional benefits of chocolate outweigh any health concerns

- Convenience retailers in urban locations will become hotspots for luxury snacks, blending retail and foodservice

Example product – GODIVA range

TOGETHERNESS:

- 37% of snacks in the UK are consumed with someone else – friends, family, colleagues etc.

- 25% of shoppers purchase snacks for the family to make them happy

- 58% of 16 – 34s and 52% of parents believe snacks are a must-have for an evening in

- 71% of people say watching TV in the living room with others is something they enjoy

Example products – McVitie’s Nibbles and McVitie’s Jaffa Cake Nibbles

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