2025 was a tumultuous year in grocery, but Sweet Biscuits remained stable, worth £3.1bn, growing YOY.i As we head into 2026, with consumers continuing to face challenges around household budgets and social media being the driving force behind food trends, FBC shares some top trends for retailers to look out for as we head into the new year.
At-home Indulgence is Driving Growth
In trying times, premium biscuits remain a strong driver of growth in the category. As people cut-back on out-of-home dining, they instead seek ‘affordable luxuries’ in the snacking aisle. This shift has led to the premium biscuits category now being worth £396.3M, growing +3.3% year-on-yearii, as shoppers increasingly trade-up from everyday biscuits in search of items to have at home. FBC accounts for £85.7M of this segment, growing +8.6% yearlyii.
We don’t see the premiumisation trend slowing down in 2026 and instead advise retailers to review their ranges to ensure they’re trading up customers who can afford to.
Everyday biscuits should take up no more than 13% of space on the shelf, whilst premium treats should take up 16%. It’s often the case that retailers mostly stock everyday biscuits as it’s perceived they are in demand following bouts of high inflation, but we’re actually seeing the opposite.
Our Fox’s Chocolatey range is perfect for this occasion, achieving a repeat purchase rate of 60% and a market share in the premium sector of 21%iii. The range offers shoppers moments of shareable indulgence, and when merchandised well in the aisle or on a fixture, they can encourage spontaneous purchase and help grow basket spend.
On-The-Go Snacking Solutions
As hybrid work settles, and more people return to the office, snacking on-the-go has rebounded from pandemic levels as people seek a convenient and calorie-controlled sweet treat.
Wagon Wheels and Rocky, for example, offer the perfect treats for adult lunchboxes. Their individually packaged nature means they are easy to transport and consume: the new Rocky STACK’d is available in packs of six and combines two golden, crunchy biscuits with a layer of smooth cream in between.
Mini snack packs have also been growing at pace over the past few years as they offer the feeling of indulgence without overconsumption. FBC is the number one manufacturer for Minis with a portfolio worth £55.5M, growing +5.9% YoYii, outperforming the overall minis segment. Maryland Minis alone is worth 27.6M +8.4%ii, Party Ring Minis is worth £14.2M and has a repeat purchase rate of 56%ii and +2.9% and Dodgers Minis is worth £11.1M +17.7%ii – making them a must-stock for retailers looking to capitalise on this trend going into 2026.
Guilt Free Indulgence
We expect consumers will prioritise their health in 2026, so portion control and healthier choices will also be front of mind for consumers.
As a result, over the next five years, we expect moderate value growth in Sweet Biscuits overall (+3-5%)ii with volumes staying relatively flat and the greatest growth coming from the ‘Better For You’ sector. To support this move in consumer behaviour, this summer, we launched our Maryland Delightfully Good product, our much-loved cookies with 30% less sugar than the classic recipe.
Supplying shoppers with in-store theatre and POS, directing them to ‘guilt-free indulgence’ products such as biscuits in minis format, or Maryland Delightfully Good, offers the best chance to capitalise on the trend. 2026 is showing no signs of being any less challenging than 2025 has been, but for retailers there is still a huge opportunity. Those that can stay close to trending products, boost spend on premium treats and drive impulse sales, can undoubtedly make the year a success.
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