Snacking or eating between meals is now very much the norm in the UK. A vast array of products exists to satisfy this market, and while confectionery, crisps and biscuits are particularly notable examples, they are not the only possibilities for snacking.
In terms of consumer research, this report includes a broad range of snack foods, recognising the variety of items which can constitute snacks and the differing environments in which they are eaten. In terms of market and marketing information, however, this report concentrates on three main sectors: Confectionery; Cakes, cake bars and biscuits; Crisps, nuts and other snacks.
This report looks at both the snacking habits of consumers and the issues that affect their choices. In terms of consumer research, this report includes a broad range of snack foods, recognising the variety of items which can constitute snacks and the differing environments in which they are eaten.
Questions asked covered the following topics:
Adults:
- Self-perception of weight
- Health and fitness lifestyle habits
- Types of snacks consumed between meals
- The number of snacks consumed between meals
- Where snacks are most likely to be consumed
- How often consumers snack between meals
- Most important attitudes towards snacking
- Other important attitudes towards snacking
- Frequency of consuming crisps/ other savoury snacks between mealsFrequency of consuming chocolate confectionery between meals
- Frequency of consuming sweet/chocolate biscuits between meals
- Frequency of consuming fruit/vegetables between meals
- Reasons for snacking on crisps and other savoury snacks (e.g. tortilla chips)
- Reasons for snacking on chocolate and/or sweets
- Reasons for snacking on cereal bars
- Reasons for snacking on nuts, seeds or dried fruit
- Reasons for snacking on cakes, cake bars and/or sweet or chocolate biscuits
- Reasons for snacking on fruit/vegetables
- Reasons for not snacking on fruit/vegetables.
Children:
- Hours spent per week on exercise
- Sports participation by type of sport
- Eating habits at school
- Parental assessment of child’s weight
- Health and fitness lifestyle habits
- Types of snacks consumed between meals
- The number of snacks consumed between meals
- Where snacks are most likely to be consumed
- How often children snack between meals
- Frequency of consuming crisps/ other savoury snacks between meals
- Frequency of consuming chocolate confectionery between meals
- Frequency of consuming sweet/chocolate biscuits between meals
- Frequency of consuming fruit/vegetables between meals
- Reasons for snacking on crisps and other savoury snacks (e.g. tortilla chips)
- Reasons for snacking on chocolate and/or sweets
- Reasons for snacking on cereal bars
- Reasons for snacking on nuts, seeds or dried fruit
- Reasons for snacking on cakes, cake bars and/or sweet or chocolate biscuits
- Source of crisps and other savoury snacks (e.g. tortilla chips)
- Source of chocolate, cake, cake bars and/or sweets
- Source of cereal bars
- Source of nuts, seeds or dried fruit
- Reasons for snacking on fruit/vegetables
- Reasons for not snacking on fruit/vegetables.
Methdology
For this report, a survey was commissioned among a nationally representative sample of 2,100 adults aged 16+, with a further survey among a nationally representative sample of 502 children aged 8-15.
