Better-for-You Snacks: US Market Trends and Opportunities
The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant effect on snacking and consumer desires for health and wellness.
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Report Overview
In 2020 and 2021, the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant effect on consumer food purchases and desires for health and wellness. Packaged Facts has found that 31% of consumers report increasing their snacking activity because of the coronavirus. Consumers are also eating more healthy foods in general during the pandemic. Survey results also reveal that those who are changing their behavior in relation to snacking are more likely to have experienced negative personal effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What's in This Report?
With a focus on “what’s next” and current consumer trends, Better-for-You Snacks: Market Trends and Opportunities is packed with insights about consumer trends, behavior, and motivations to help food producers, retailers, packaging companies, employers, and investors gauge consumer perspectives and find areas for growth in a competitive market.
Better-for-You Snacks: Market Trends and Opportunities delivers actionable predictions and recommendations designed to guide producers, retailers, and investors in making business decisions by providing data and insights about what consumers think about foods and beverages and snacking, and how they feel about various diets and food lifestyles.
Scope
Better-for-You Snacks: Market Trends and Opportunities is the go-to source for a complete understanding of U.S. consumer trends in the better-for-you snack market. This report combines Packaged Facts’ extensive monitoring of the food and beverage market with proprietary surveys, and evaluates current trends and future directions for marketing and retailing, along with consumer patterns during the pandemic and across the broader food and beverage market.
Better-for-you snacks feature good taste, indulgence, and convenience while being healthier than standard snacks by virtue of nutrition or portion sizes. This report covers the scope, size, and growth of the U.S. market for snacks with various better-for-you claims such as clean label, no sugar added, lower sugar, lower fat, low carb, high protein, plant-based, whole grain, natural, and heart healthy.
Historical and projected retail sales are provided for better-for-you snacks, segmented by product category (bakery snacks; candy, confections, and sweet frozen treats; nuts, nut butter, seeds, and fruit snacks; savory snacks; and other snacks). Additionally, Better-for-You Snacks: Market Trends and Opportunities has dozens of tables showcasing numerical survey data on consumer demographics and psychographics and numerous product and marketing photographs. This report goes in-depth on COVID-19 trends affecting the food and beverage market.
Report Methodology
The information contained in Better-for-You Snacks: Market Trends and Opportunities was developed from primary and secondary research sources. Primary research includes interviews with food and beverage market experts; participation in and attendance at food industry events; and extensive internet canvassing.
Primary research also includes national online consumer polls of U.S. adult consumers (age 18+) conducted on an ongoing basis by Packaged Facts to analyze attitudes of consumers and their relevant food and beverage preferences.
Survey data from MRI-Simmons are used to analyze the demographics and psychographics of consumers who say they snack often.
Supplementing Packaged Facts’ exclusive survey is analysis of the 2021 Food & Health Survey conducted by the International Food Information Council, which analyzes consumer food purchase decisions, diet and lifestyle choices, snacking activity, and perception of health benefits in foods.
- Executive Summary
- COVID-19 Effects on Snacking Activity
- Key Consumer Trends
- Packaging Trends
- Scope
- COVID-19 Effects on Consumers
- Highlights
- First Time Use of Convenient Food Ordering Methods In 2020
- Table | Coronavirus Food Purchase Habits: "Because of the coronavirus, I have for the first time used…", 202
- Increasing Use of Convenient Food Ordering Methods Continuing Through 2021
- Table | Coronavirus Food Purchase Habits: "Because of the coronavirus, I am…", 2020-2021 (percent of consume
- Consumers Increasing Number of Meals/Snacks or Frequency of Eating Comfort Foods or Snacks/Treats Mo
- Table | Coronavirus Convenient Food Purchase Habits: "Have you had any of the following delivered in the las
- In 2021, Pandemic-Related Changes to Eating and Food Ordering Behavior Are Declining
- Eating Habits and Food Prep
- Snacking and Healthy Eating
- Table | Coronavirus Eating Habits: "Because of the coronavirus, I am eating more…", 2021 (percent of consume
- Grocery and Food Ordering
- Concerns About COVID-19 Exposure and Food Safety
- Concerns About Food Safety and Waste Rose in the Wake of the Pandemic in 2020
- Table | Coronavirus Concerns about Safety and Food Waste: "Because of the coronavirus, I am…", 2020 (percent
- Concerns about Exposure Remain in 2021
- Considering the Pandemic a Health Threat Personally or to Family/Friends
- Table | Coronavirus Health Concerns: "I am concerned about the…", 2020-2021 (percent of consumers)
- Consumers Who Are Increasing Snacking Activity Are More Likely to Be Concerned about the Pandemic's
- Table | Coronavirus Health Concerns: "I am concerned about the…", 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Concerns About Food Safety and Waste Rose in the Wake of the Pandemic in 2020
- Consumers Who Report Increasing Snacking Activity Are Experiencing More Negative Personal Effects of
- Table | Coronavirus Concerns: "The coronavirus has negatively affected my…", 2020-2021 (percent of consumers
- Table | Coronavirus Concerns: "The coronavirus has negatively affected my…", 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Effects on Work Are Continuing in 2021
- Shopping Patterns Are Shifting, With Many Consumers Cutting Back on Spending and Shopping Less Insid
- Food Insecurity Attributed to COVID-19
- Excitement for Food-Related Activities When the Pandemic Subsides
- Overview and Market Trends
- Highlights
- Gluten, Food Allergies, and Dietary Restrictions Are a Concern to Many Consumers
- Vegetarians, Vegans, and Flexitarians: Plant-Based Eating, Sustainability, and Beyond
- Clean Label Trends
- Food Gifting Trends
- Purchasing for Others
- Table | Chocolate Food Gifts Purchased for others in the Last 12 Months, 2010-2021 (percent of consumers)
- Purchasing Food Gifts For Self
- Table | Types of Food Gifts Purchased for Self in the Last 12 Months, 2020 and 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Personal vs. Work-Related Food Gift Types
- Table | Types of Food Gifts Received: Personal Gift vs. Business Gift in the Last 12 Months, 2020 and 2021 (
- Purchasing for Others
- Companies Are Investing in Blockchain and Big Data to Satisfy Consumer Desires for Transparency
- Consumers Think Small and Medium Businesses Have More Credibility
- The COVID-19 Pandemic Was the Jumpstart the Online Grocery Market Needed
- Impact on the Snack Market
- Diets and Eating Patterns
- Over One Third of Consumers Have Followed a Special Diet in the Last Year
- Losing Weight Is the Most Common Reason to Follow a Diet
- Most Consumers Are Trying to Avoid or Limit Sugars in Their Diet
- Sugar Tends to Be Preferred to Low/No Calorie Sweeteners, However
- Frequency of Snacking and Reasons for Snacking
- Most Consumers Snack in the Late Afternoon and Late Evening
- Younger Consumers Are More Likely to Snack Throughout the Day
- Definitions of Meals vs. Snacks
- Drivers of Food Purchase Decisions
- More Than Half of Consumers Say Healthfulness Matters More to Them Now When Deciding on Foods to Buy
- Consumers Think Meat and Poultry Have the Greatest Negative Impact on the Environment, with Snack Fo
- About Half of Consumers Pay Close Attention to Food Labels When Shopping
- "Natural" Labels Are Most Impactful When Grocery Shopping
- Helpfulness of Food Label Features
- Health Benefits in Foods
- One-Fifth of Consumers Seek Health Benefits from Foods
- Weight Loss/Management Is the #1 Health Benefit Sought from Food
- Nutrients and Characteristics Consumed and Avoided by Consumers
- Most Nutrients Are Sought from Foods Instead of Beverages or Supplements
- Perception of Health Differences in Products
- Market Size and Forecast
- Scope
- Sales by Product Category
- Table | Better-for-You Snack Retail Sales by Product Category, 2016-2020, 2025P (million dollars)
- Marketing Trends and Opportunities
- Highlights
- Indulgence vs. Health
- Unrefined Sugar
- Alternative Sweeteners, Sugar-Free, and Lower Sugar Products
- Low-Carb/High Protein, Keto, and Paleo Diets
- Probiotics and Prebiotics for Gut Health/Immunity
- Nuts, Fruit, Seeds, and Other Ingredients for Increased Nutrition
- Vegan/Plant-Based Snacks Appeal to Those Looking to Eat a Plant- Forward Diet
- Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives
- Plant-Based Meat Alternatives
- Opportunity: Appealing to Families with Children
- Opportunity: Upcycled Ingredients
- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) and Online Marketing
- New Companies and Products with Niche Appeal May Choose DTC Channels
- Private Labels
- Subscriptions Save Consumers Money and Boost Sales
- In-Store Purchasing Trends
- Retail Stores Rely More On Impulse Purchases of Snacks
- Holiday Promotions Are Key
- Private Label Snacks Are a Driver of Store Traffic and Retailer Loyalty
- Consumer Demographics
- Highlights
- Trends by Gender
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by Gender, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Gender, 2021 (percent of consu
- Trends by Age Bracket
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by Age Bracket, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Age Bracket, 2021 (percent of
- Patterns Based on Household Income
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by Household Income Bracket, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Household Income Bracket, 2021
- Regional Differences
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by U.S. Region, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by U.S. Region, 2021 (percent of
- Urban, Suburban, and Rural Consumers
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by County Size, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Urban, Suburban, or Rural Livi
- Educational Attainment
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by Educational Attainment, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Educational Attainment, 2021 (
- Presence of Children in the Household
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by Presence of Children in the Household, 2021 (percent of consum
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Presence of Children in HH, 20
- Race/Ethnicity
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by Race/Ethnicity, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Race/Ethnicity, 2021 (percent
- Plant-Forward Consumers
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by Primary Diet/Eating Philosophy, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Primary Diet/Eating Philosophy
- Food Delivery and Pickup Service Users
- Table | Consumers Who Say They Snack Often by Use of Online Grocery Delivery Services, 2021 (percent of cons
- Table | Changes in Snack/Treat Consumption during the Coronavirus Pandemic by Use of Food Delivery and Picku
- Consumer Psychographics
- Highlights
- Special Eating Restrictions or Preferences
- Table | Extent to Which Consumers Report Following a Special Diet, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | Special Diets Followed by Consumers, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Willingness to Pay More for Food Delivery or Premium Food Characteristics
- Table | Willingness to Pay More for Food Delivery or Premium Food Characteristics, 2021 (percent of consumer
- Perceptions About Health and Nutrition
- Concerns About Health Can Be Addressed by Functional Foods and Beverages
- Table | Health Concerns Related to Functional Foods and Beverages, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- Table | More Health Concerns Related to Functional Foods and Beverages, 2021 (percent of consumers)
- More than Half of Consumers Consider Themselves to Be in Excellent or Very Good Health
- Beliefs about Sources of Weight Gain
- Definition of "Healthy Food"
- Elements of "Healthy Eating Patterns"
- Most Consumers Are Confident in Their Ability to Choose Healthy Foods
- Concerns About Health Can Be Addressed by Functional Foods and Beverages
- Packaging Trends
- Highlights
- The Balance Between Effective, Sustainable, and Low-Cost Packaging
- Targeting Excessive Packaging for Reduction and Elimination
- Protective Packaging Is Important For Product Integrity
- A Shift from Expensive Set-Up Boxes to Other Paper Packaging for Snack Subscription Boxes
- Reusable Packaging
- Opportunities for Biodegradable and Compostable Packaging
- Packaging Aids in Portion Control
- Pouches Are Functional and Convenient Packaging for Snacks
- Small, Individual Snack Packages vs. Large Multi-Serving Sizes
- Retail-Ready Packaging Makes Snacks Stand Out and Promotes Stocking Efficiency in Stores
- Consumers Who Are Eating Snacks/Treats, Healthy Foods, or Comfort Foods More During the Pandemic Sho
- Recycling and Household Waste
- Table | Consumer Opinions on Recycling and Household Waste, 2021 (percent of consumers who strongly agree)
- Proper Disposal of Products
- Table | Consumer Opinions on Taking Responsibility for Proper Disposal of Products, 2021 (percent of consume
- Opinions on Packaging Materials
- Table | Consumer Opinions on Packaging Materials, 2021 (percent of consumers who strongly agree)
- Types of Packaging Consumers Look for
- Table | "Do you especially look for any of the following in terms of "sustainability" or "eco-friendly" pack
- Recycling and Household Waste
- Food Gift Buyers Think Attractive Packaging is More Important Than Eco-Friendly Packaging, But Looks
- Table | Attributes Sought When Purchasing Specialty Food Gifts, 2010-2020 (percent of those buying any food
- Packaging Types Considered Eco-Friendly by Consumers
- Table | Consumer Thoughts on Recycling and Recyclable Packaging (percent of consumers)
