In recent years, the rise in natural claims have come to the attention of brands within the food and drink industry. Consumers want products be more natural, which include healthier ingredients with multi-functional benefits.
FMCG Gurus research shows that whilst consumers are wanting flavorful snacks, they are actively seeking naturally formulated products. But to what degree do consumers choose this over the price and taste?
Snacking Habits are changing. In 2017 FMCG Gurus data showed that 56 percent of consumers in Germany looked to cut down or stop snacking as they believed it was associated with a lack of nutritional value.
However, FMCG Gurus 2019 snacking report shows that 91 percent of consumers choose to snack within the day. This shows consumers are still choosing to snack even if they are not satisfied with the nutritional value in many snacking products. There is a large opportunity for brands to launch healthier snacking options for consumers.
In the food and drink industry there is continuous innovation when it comes to the topic of health and wellness. Natural formulation remains the number one priority for the conscious consumer. For instance, a total of 25 percent of consumers think natural claims are important when purchasing confectionery/chocolate. This is because natural product claims are very attractive as they offer a variety of health, environmental, and trust benefits to the product.
Consumers want natural claims when it comes to snacking. This can be when they are looking for a treat to indulge in or when they are needing to satisfy hunger. Although flavor is still a key factor when deciding which snacks to choose, natural formulation has always been an important factor for consumer when choosing snacking products and still remains a key attribute.
When it comes to snacking, consumers in Germany are more likely to snack at home rather than snack out of the house.
When it comes to natural formulation, 45 percent of consumers in Germany pay more attention to this claim when they snack out of the home compared to at home. This suggests that consumers are more health conscious when on the go. When consumers choose to snack for treating and reward reasons, 50 percent of consumers in Germany are now pay more attention to natural formulation.
Satisfying hunger (52 percent) and being able to indulge in a mid-afternoon treat (56 percent) are the top two reasons why consumers in Germany like to snack overall.
In comparison, only 19 percent of consumers are snacking for health benefits as consumers see snacking as a way to satisfy their hunger more than anything. Although consumers use snacking as a way to satisfy their hunger they are still snacking on healthy products. And the 75 percent of consumers who do choose to snack say they snack on fruit, whereas only 36 percent of consumers choose to snack on confectionery, and 60 percent on chocolate.
Natural formulation is a key trend affecting the snacking industry. However consumers are still more concerned about taste when choosing products to snack on. This is especially the case when consumers are looking to snack for a treat, as 75 percent pay more attention to the flavor of the product.
Price is still a key factor when choosing which products to snack on. However, FMCG Gurus research shows that only 46 percent of consumers pay more attention to the price when looking for a treat or reward. FMCG Gurus research shows that consumers are moving toward paying attention to flavor and natural formulation above the price of a snack when looking to treat and reward themselves.
Will Cowling is the marketing manager at FMCG Gurus. This article is based on 3 surveys conducted between the years 2017 – 2019. For more info please contact FMCG Gurus at mailto:info@fmcggurus.com.
