The snacking industry may be one of the most successful in recent years. The trend is believed to have started in the United States and became a thing after the 1950s. Peanuts, popcorn, and pretzels were popular foods to consume between meals. Still, the snacking market has expanded considerably, offering an almost infinite supply of treats and drinks to accompany them.
Eating snacks is often accompanied by watching shows online, meeting with friends, or playing online games, and this association has attracted a lot of criticism regarding how unhealthy these habits are. Baked chips, cereal bars, or store-bought smoothies are considered harmful to people.
Once consumers started seeing the side effects of an inactive and unhealthy life, the trend of healthy snacks began on social media. Influencers advised people to eat nuts, fruits, and dark chocolate as snacks. But does this affect the snacking industry?
What’s the demand for snacks?
Snacks are popular worldwide, with every country having its own version of snacking foods. However, the mother country of snacks is the US, where many brands of chips, juice, and sweets come from. And since about 90% of all Americans snack at least once a day, we can say that the sector is pretty well established.
Processed foods are already famous in the US, and they also apply to snacks, so various organizations started the movement to spread awareness of the importance of nutritional meals, including snacks. In addition, companies responsible for unhealthy snacks can usually be found guilty of unethical operations, such as posting misleading advertising or engaging in bait-and-switch tactics.
Hence, ethical brands are introducing the option of healthy treats. For example, partnering with a local cocoa company is preferred over working with corporations because they offer expertise, ensure transparency, and prioritize superior working standards.
How does the digital realm influence snacking?
Social media has contributed significantly to snacking because people pick them up quickly if influencers make them famous. TikTok is one of the leading platforms where such trends appear, some of which include the following:
- Frozen fruit shaved ice;
- Chamoy pickles;
- Ice;
- Pizza toast;
Regardless of their peculiarities, it’s surprising to see how many people share the same cravings for something quick and either sweet or sour. However, the trend of healthy snacks isn’t dying, as any nut supplier might benefit from the “almond mom” trend followed by Yolanda Hadid’s almost obsession.
The healthy snack market has increased in the past decades, and experts forecast it to follow the same direction until 2030, when it will reach the value of 152.3 billion US dollars, according to Statista. Numbers and trends tell us that customers are more careful with what they eat and prioritize health, which is why they start making such important decisions. Unprocessed snacks with limited amounts of sugar are the most preferred now.
Why did consumers change their behaviors regarding snacking?
Before the pandemic, unhealthy snacks dominated the market, but things changed during it because people had more time to think about their health and well-being. At the same time, being in lockdown didn’t allow them to get much exercise, so continuing to eat unhealthily would lead to health problems and weight gain.
Research shows how people’s mental health also deteriorated due to the pandemic and the state of the world. Therefore, most people had to adapt in order to maintain their health and sanity, so eating behaviors changed. People improved their diets and cooked more at home since they had more free time and were working from home.
At the same time, physical activities showed a massive decline, but some found ways to exercise at home, whether they followed workout sessions or used standing desks to avoid sitting all day.
How can companies forecast snacking behaviors in the future?
The pandemic showed us how quickly people’s behaviors can change, making it challenging to adapt. Although many companies could take the shift pretty quickly, others were challenged by the rapid increase in competition.
Predicting purchasing behaviors isn’t easy, although if we were to consider only snacks, we could say that the trend won’t end soon. People will continue to snack during certain times of the day or events, so the market will always find new development opportunities. If you’ve been on the internet lately, you’ve seen how people lost it with the Stanley tray for snacks that allowed people to attach their favorite treats to the water bottle so they could get some energy during walking sessions or a trip.
The importance of market research in forecasting trends
Understanding consumer preferences for snacks is essential, which is why companies should continuously perform market research to stay ahead of the competition when new trends arise. Leveraging consumer-oriented approaches is vital in learning about the factors that influence people to change their behaviors regarding food.
Snacking is usually associated with an activity, so brands that want to improve their snacks could enter many other sectors than the food industry, such as streaming services, sports, or entertainment. On the other hand, snacking can be linked with emotions, as many people snack on something sweet when they’re stressed, bored, or procrastinating.
However, what makes things different now is that people are more aware of their conditions and want to improve their lifestyles by making everything healthier, from sleeping habits to snacking. So, for now, the healthy snacking sector should take advantage of the surging trends and extend their product variation.
What’s your take on snacking?
Snacking is one of the most satisfying things to do alone or with friends, as it makes us happy due to dopamine bursts. For quite some time, companies knew that and produced mostly oversaturated and harmful snacks for one’s health, which made the industry boom. But things changed rapidly when the pandemic occurred, and customers had health and longevity in mind. Now, customers are looking for healthier alternatives, so we can say that the industry is going in the opposite direction compared to a decade ago.
