Blink:

I have previously posted about consumer food choices, specifically as it relates to key decision drivers – one being improved nutrition (e.g., increased fiber, sugar reduction). Recently I learned about the food dichotomy between indulgent versus health & wellness, especially when it comes to snacking.

Read On:

The CEO of Hostess Brands, Inc. during an appearance on” Yahoo! Finance” discussed the robust growth of snacking, a macro trend which accelerated during the pandemic. Nearly 50% of consumers, according to his company’s consumer data, on average snack three or more times a day an increase of 8% in the past two years. He also stated indulgent snacks are increasing at a greater rate than health & wellness or functional snacks. In response, Hostess in order to drive their overall category growth is marketing smaller, convenient bite size snacks so consumers do not compromise their craving for indulgence.

Note: The IFIC (International Food Information Council) just released their annual survey which indicated snacking frequency remained elevated for the second straight year. 72% of Americans snack at least once a day in addition to their main meals, the most common reason (41% an increase from 34% since 2022) respondents attributed to hunger or thirst. Other top reasons for snacking include the perception that snacks are a treat (29%) and the desire for sweet (21%) and salty (21%) snacks.

U.S. snack sales last year surpassed $180 billion, an 11% increase versus the previous year. Who are some of the market leaders in the snacking category? Reese’s, Lays, Hershey’s, M&M’s, Doritos, Oreos, Cheetos, Snickers, and Kit Kat bars to name a few. Sounds like a lot of cookies, crackers, bars, chips, and treats – not exactly an assortment of healthy snacks. Hence, what about all the hype regarding Americans eating healthy? According to Statista Consumer Insights, 50 percent of Americans claim to actively try to eat healthy according to their own testimonies. The fact is most people in the United States do not eat a healthy diet and consume too much sodium, saturated fat, and sugar, increasing their risk of chronic diseases. For example, fewer than 1 in 10 adolescents and adults eat enough fruits or vegetables (note: both can be consumed as snacks). Three more documented facts which are telling of the American eating behavior:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found out that more than 36 percent of Americans are consuming fast food regularly, to the extent that on any given day, a third of Americans are eating from fast food restaurants.

• A survey conducted by the Cleveland clinic disclosed 46 percent of U.S. adults said a barrier to eating more healthy foods was their price. Almost a quarter of Americans stated that they had little time to cook and prepare healthy foods, while 20 percent said they did not know how to cook healthy foods.

• IFIC reported limiting the amount of sodium and sugar in foods for their health/diet to be 55% and 45% respectively among their survey respondents. Relatively low or indicative of consumers craving for salty and sweet snacks in the afternoon and evening thus the rationale for the robust snack sales for the category leaders listed above.   

Later today when you experience a hunger bout and desire a snack, think about this post. You will need to choose between an indulgent or health & wellness food product. Is there a dichotomy when it comes to making a snacking decision?

Opinions Welcomed!