The back to school season increases the demand for snacks and lunchbox items. With the summer holidays nearly over, the pace of family life speeds up and parents prioritise convenience.
Therefore, customers are looking for simple snacks to take on the go or to elevate children’s lunchboxes.
“There is a growing emphasis on health as parents look for products that are free from artificial colours and flavours. This explains why Brioche Pasquier’s range is a popular choice for children’s lunchboxes as they are baked with ingredients like flour, butter and eggs,” comments Fabien Pasquier, Retail Sales Manager, Brioche Pasquier.
“To capitalise on the back to school rush, retailers should stock best-selling products and familiar brands that make lunch time lunch boxes easy. For busy parents, it’s simple to pick up delicious items which they know will be a hit with even the fussiest eaters. In store, retailers must make it easy for parents to find these much-loved snacks and lunchbox fillers, and such products should be conveniently displayed together. During late summer, retailers can further drive sales by placing back to school displays by the store’s entrance or near the tills to ensure they catch their customers’ attention.”
Affordability is now a prominent driver of sales as customers look for products which make the most of their money. Reducing food waste, products with a longer shelf life are becoming popular. Brioche Pasquier’s range of products have a shelf life of 29 days (or 24 days for pancakes) and are a useful snack to have on hand whenever a pick-me-up is required. For added convenience, Brioche Pasquier’s products are individually wrapped, helping to preserve freshness. Despite their long shelf life, the snacks are free from preservatives thanks to the addition of their ‘levain’ which additionally gives Brioche Pasquier its distinctive flavour and texture.
Affordable products must also be versatile. Brioche Pasquier’s classic brioche rolls are ideal for sandwiches and perfectly complement a variety of healthy fillings, such as chicken or tomato and feta. Alternatively, for a nutritious snack, parents can pair the brioche with hummus and crudites, encouraging children to hit their 5 a day.
“With costs rising, retailers should look to drive sales by offering meal deals and discounts on back to school products,” adds Pasquier. “Rather than a single sandwich, drink, and snack, retailers could tailor this to include bakery items like bread, sandwich fillers, a healthy snack, and a drink or treat. This will be most popular amongst parents with children just starting school as meal deals can guide them through preparing a lunchbox, ensuring they tick off all the essentials.”
Elliot Cantrell, Head of NPD, BakeAway, comments: “As children head back to school after the summer holidays, parents tend to prioritise snack options that combine nutrition with convenience. Additionally, variety and excitement are top of mind for both parents and their children. Mini pancakes like the Abra-ca-Debora Diddy sweet Dutch style pancakes are great lunchbox filler as they are low in sugar and rich in slow-release energy, a great solution to keep kids focused and fuelled throughout the day. The versatility of the Dutch Style pancakes means they can be rolled, sliced and topped with naturally sweet toppings such as berries to offer a lunchbox-friendly treat that feels indulgent, while still having nutritional value.”
Options such as the Abra-ca-Debora and Myprotein protein pancakes make it easier for families to manage busy routines while ensuring their children are able to eat well while they are busy with after-school activities and homework.
Several emerging trends are shaping how families shop for food, especially during the back-to-school season. Portability and portion control is a priority for parents, especially for breakfast and snacks in lunchboxes, individually wrapped or pre-portioned items that can be eaten on-the-go are key for parents juggling busy lives. BakeAway’s Abra-ca-Debora Diddy pancakes are a great solution for this.
There is also a rise in interactive food moments at home, as parents look for simple ways to involve their children in meal prep when they do have more time. The use of readymade doughs such as Pizza Express Pizza Dough allows for meal preparation to become an avenue for creativity that the children can also enjoy with unique toppings and flavours.
BakeAway’s best-selling products reflect the growing demand for convenient, better-for-you options that don’t compromise on taste. The Abra-Ca-Debora Sweet Diddy Dutch-Style pancakes are well suited to the demand for convenience. Made with wheat flour, and containing only 350 calories per 100g, they are indulgent while also still fitting into a balanced, nutritious diet.
Another one of the brand’s best-sellers, the Myprotein protein pancakes also reflect the consumer desire for convenient, nutritious meal and snack options, with 26.5g of protein per serving, they can help children stay fuelled for a busy day at school and for any after school activities and homework.
Readymade puff pastry doughs continue to perform well and offer families a blank canvas to create both savoury and sweet lunchbox or after school snacks. They are easy to roll and bake as well as a reliable staple for busy parents who still want fresh, homemade meals that are delicious and low effort such as a leftover pie.
Consumers are craving delicious, indulgent snack options, this is where pastries are perfect for meals whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner. They can be served with variety of fruit fillings such as cinnamon, apple, and berry flavours. They’re perfect as a morning treat or an after-school snack, combining indulgence with a healthier twist. These products continue to resonate with families looking for a balance of convenience, nutrition, and comfort especially during the busy back to school period.
“Today’s parents are more health conscious whilst delicious food remains a top priority. Instead of highly processed foods, parents are choosing to stock up on fresh doughs, pancakes, and bake-at-home options as an alternative,” adds Cantrell.
“Creating cross-category inspiration like placing pizza dough near savoury meats or cheeses, can spark easy meal and snack ideas for busy parents struggling to come up with unique meals for their children. Families are looking for shortcuts that still feel homemade and these simple positioning changes can help inspiration during the busy back to school periods.
“Making mealtimes an exciting activity for families is a great way to grow the pizza and dough category. With many simple, hands-on products that turn food prep into quality time such as using pizza doughs to create fun, unique food combinations together, it’s a category that has something for everyone. Messaging that highlights ease, creativity, and family involvement can lift both interest and loyalty across the category.”
Over the last five years Peperami has grown by more than 80%. It is now a £140 million brand, making it the UK’s number one best-selling protein meat snacking brand. Currently, one in five UK households buys Peperami – a strong indication of its popularity and a solid foundation for further growth.
The overall meat snacking category has doubled in value over five years (Nielsen) and has the potential to double again. Protein snacks have moved beyond a trend to become mainstream, with nearly one in three UK households now purchasing meat snacks. This represents a clear opportunity for retailers that cannot be overlooked.
Shoppers are seeking tasty, convenient snacks that are perfect for quick boosts throughout the day, ideal for on-the-go, lunchboxes or at-home. Peperami continues to lead the chilled meat snacking market, driving innovation and maintaining its position as the number one brand in value sales worth £140m at retail sales value (Nielsen MAT April 2025).
Peperami operates within the ready to eat savoury meat snacking category, providing a flavoursome protein boost to pep up snack occasions both for on-the-go and active-at-home.
As the UK’s leading meat snacking brand and part of a global leader in protein snacks, Peperami is a key driver in this fast-growing market.
Now, with the launch of new £1 price-marked Peperami Chicken Bites, independent retailers have an even stronger opportunity to capitalise on shopper demand for on-the-go protein snacks. Available in two popular flavours – Tikka and Roasted – each 45g pack contains just 95kcal, making them ideal for calorie-conscious consumers.
Shaun Whelan, Convenience/Wholesale and OOH Controller at Jack Link’s, explains: “Peperami is bringing its protein-packed snacking expertise and iconic brand into the chicken category with the launch of our new £1 PMP Chicken Bites. As the UK’s number one chilled meat brand, we’re delivering bold, high-protein snacks that resonate with today’s convenience shoppers, offering retailers a strong opportunity to drive incremental sales and margins.”
Peperami has made another bold move in the chilled snacking aisle – with the launch of its new, tasty Chicken Tikka Skewers – aimed at unlocking the in-home eating occasion.
Whelan adds: “Our Chicken Tikka Skewers taste great, and we are delighted to bring unapologetic boldness to the chilled meat snacking aisle, delivering high-protein, full-on flavour snacks that resonate with modern shoppers looking for convenience and taste.
“With our relaunched Chicken Bites and now new Chicken Tikka Skewers, we are giving retailers even more ways to tap into the fast-growing meat snacks market.”
The chilled chicken snacking market is up 21% over the past two years and now worth over £165m – and 84% of these sales are incremental. Peperami’s new product is designed to tap into that growth, with a bold, multi-channel marketing campaign already under way across TV, digital, radio and influencer channels.
Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelez International, comments: “For the back-to-school season, families are shopping earlier and focusing on affordable, practical options that fit busy routines. Lunchbox staples, such as Dairylea continue to stand out for their trusted nutrition, convenience, and wide range of formats including spreads, slices, and snacks.”
At the same time, the cream cheese category is showing resilience, growing by +9.1% (Nielsen) percent year on year. Philadelphia is well positioned to meet this ongoing demand, offering a broad variety of flavours, fat levels, and formats that give families flexibility and choice without compromising on quality. Dairylea is also well placed to deliver value, reassurance, and versatility, with a presence in one out of two UK households, as parents make more considered and intentional shopping decisions.
The Mondelez retailer website, www.SnackDisplay.com has category tutorials that are perfect for new starters who would like to get to grips with their ranges, and category display pages for any staff who have designated areas of the store to look after and want a quick and easy reference point. Retailers are often pressed for time, so within the ‘tools’ page the site provides useful resources that can provide a helping hand. These include a quick reference best-seller list, resharable social media content, and a profit calculator. Point of Sale can be requested here, too.
“Despite economic uncertainties putting pressure on household budgets, consumers are still looking for treats from trusted brands, so the chocolate confectionery category is incredibly important for the convenience sector,” adds Nash. “Retailers should ensure that they’re offering the right treats in the right formats and flavours, stay on top of best-in-class innovation and tap into key seasonal moments to see sales success throughout 2025 and beyond.”
Parents and guardians looking for a quick, convenient, cost-effective way to add healthier ingredients to children’s lunchboxes are increasingly turning to fresh salads, and to all-natural Florette in particular.
Part of a farmer-owned co-operative, market-leading Florette is outperforming the total prepared salads market, with annual sales worth £25m (NielsenIQ), an increase of more than 19% on the previous year (NielsenIQ), leading the way in enabling retailers to meet rising consumer demand for healthy, great-tasting fresh food.
“Many parents will acknowledge that healthy ingredients aren’t always the first thing they think of when they’re preparing a children’s lunchbox, but easy-to-include fresh salads, which are naturally low in fat, salt and sugar, provide the healthy content they’re looking for and complement many children’s lunchbox favourites,” says Martin Purdy, Commercial and Marketing Director at Florette.
“What’s more, fresh salads add natural texture, vibrancy and colour to lunchboxes and we’re making it really easy for parents to add this healthier element to what is one of children’s most important meals of the day.”
The relevance of fresh salads in lunchboxes is reinforced by the fact that consumers’ number one healthy eating priority is ‘eating more fruit and vegetables (IGD), with 28% of people looking to increase how much fresh produce they eat (IGD).
In addition, 40% of new products launched in the FTG sector were health-led (general health or specific health claims, Lumina) and good quality food is also becoming more important to consumers. So much so that the fastest-growing driver of store choice is ‘good quality products’, with almost a quarter of consumers choosing a store based on this, second only to store location (IGD).
Florette has a wide range of all-natural salad products to enhance lunchboxes and other meal occasions. The No. 1 fresh salad range (Nielsen) includes Florette Crispy (90g and 140g) which is the biggest selling product in the impulse channel and seeing strong growth at +30% (NielsenIQ) and Florette Mixed salad (125g), the 2nd biggest product in the impulse channel and growing well alongside Crispy +48% (NielsenIQ), with its crunchy mix of leaves adding interest and texture to any healthy meal.
With more opportunities to include fresh salads in lunchbox meal deals, Florette is reminding convenience retailers of consumers’ primary focus on the ‘top up shop’, highlighting that fresh salad is one of the areas where consumers look to ‘top up’ to complete the healthy meal purchase.
Innovative NPD continues to play its part in raising awareness and demand for Florette products, boosted by sustained above the line investment. This includes a summer-long, high profile sponsorship by Florette this year of the Food Network, the UK’s No.1 dedicated food TV channel together with a partnership with both goodfood and olive, the UK’s leading food magazines.
Media support is complemented by a major on-pack promotion, giving consumers the chance to win ‘Tasty Escape’ holidays to one of five destinations and £100 a day can be won for the duration of the promotion.
Steve Kearns, Managing Director, Cawston Press, comments: “People are prioritising health more than they were able to during the pandemic and post pandemic years (Nielsen), something retailers should consider within the soft drinks category during the back to school period. The consumption of fizzy drinks is reducing due to ‘high sugar content, artificial colouring, phosphoric acid, artificial sweeteners, and caffeine (Global Newswire), and there has been a greater shift in demand away from carbonated drinks towards natural fruit juices, with ‘Not From Concentrate’ leading the category (Global NFC). Therefore, when selecting products for school lunch boxes, parents are more often reaching for children’s juices that contain natural ingredients and lower sugar content.”
Cawston Press’ Fruit Waters are the perfect addition to any lunch box, made simply with pressed fruits, no added sugar, no sweeteners and no shortcuts. All Cawston Press Fruit Waters contain at least 40% fruit juice, which is then simply blended with still water, and are gluten-free and vegan friendly, with the sweetness coming entirely from pressed fruit and purees. They are packaged in an easy-to-hold carton, ideal for younger palettes. Cawston Press’ Fruit Waters are available in four fruity flavours inspired by the summer garden including; Apple & Mango, Apple & Summer Berries, Apple & Pear and the latest addition, Sunshine Orange.
Furthermore, sugar-free drinks are more important to the category than ever due to the recent focus from the government on sugar content and labelling, prompting brands to reformulate products and provide clearer ingredient information. The UK government has implemented measures to reduce sugar consumption, including the recent Soft Drinks Industry Levy, which has seen competitors releasing ‘Zero Sugar’ drinks.
However, whilst the levy is going to have a significant impact on sugar contents in drinks, artificial sweeteners are not affected, meaning many soft drinks being advertised as ‘Zero Sugar’ will contain additives to keep the original taste.
“Artificial sweeteners are a concern to many leading health organisations including WHO, who warned against artificial sweeteners in 2023,” adds Kearns. “Retailers should therefore always consider ingredients lists when putting together their soft drinks range, to ensure they are providing options for health-conscious shoppers.”
Stuart Graham, Head of Convenience and Impulse, KP Snacks, comments: “As the summer holidays draw to a close, retailers should be ready to boost sales by capitalising on back to school opportunities. Bagged snacks are a staple in children’s lunchboxes and a popular lunchtime and Food to Go choice for university students, making the “back to routine” occasion a critical opportunity for retailers to drive CSN sales.
“Consumer health continues to be a key focus, with families actively looking for better-for-you alternatives for packed lunches and snacking occasions. KP Snacks addresses this need through our extensive range of flavourful and compliant snack products, featuring more than 100 non-HFSS lines. We understand that snacking is part of everyday life, and we’re dedicated to creating products that combine great taste with nutritional responsibility.”
Within KP’s non-HFSS portfolio is Hula Hoops Puft, worth £11m (NielsenIQ) and offering a light, lower-calorie snacking solution. With just 72 calories per portion, Hula Hoops Puft delivers an ideal lighter choice for lunchbox inclusion, available in appealing flavours: Salt & Vinegar, Salted and Grilled Beef.
Valued at £35.9m RSV and showing +3.8% value growth (NielsenIQ), the POM-BEAR brand perfectly serves family-oriented shoppers. POM-BEAR provides fewer than 100 calories per pack, with 5.7m households enjoying the brand annually. Established brands like POM-BEAR give parents confidence that they’re offering their children a wholesome and delicious product from a reliable source.
Matt Goddard, Managing Director at Hero UK&I, comments: “We know that preschoolers have a big say when it comes to the weekly shop especially when choosing the snacks that end up in their lunchboxes. That’s why it’s more important than ever for brands to create snacks that not only appeal to children through familiar formats, fun shapes, and playful textures, but also give parents peace of mind.
“We see a real opportunity to keep parents and caregivers in the baby and toddler aisle for longer because once they move on, it can be harder to find snacks that strike the right balance between what kids love and what grown-ups feel good about. Our goal is simple, to offer snacks that satisfy both kids’ cravings and parents’ nutritional expectations, creating a win-win for the lunchbox market.
“We genuinely believe packed lunches can be both exciting for kids and reassuring for parents. That’s why we’re passionate about creating snacks that are delicious, nutritious and serve a purpose. We prioritise ingredients like wholegrain cereals and fruits, and never add artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners, palm oil, or unnecessary additives. Our snacks are also never fried and are free from highly processed syrups, making them a smarter, healthier choice for lunchboxes.”
Designed with children aged 3-6 years and beyond, the new Goodies range includes oat bars and sticks, flapjack bites, fruit chips, and fruit pouches – all in bold, kid-approved flavours. Each snack is portioned to be <100kcal and made with ingredients that offer a source of nutrients where possible, such as wholegrains and fibre. Better than many off-aisle kids and adult snacks (based on category averages), Goodies always delivers on taste while supporting balanced nutrition for growing kids.
For the launch of the new Goodies preschooler brand, Hero is investing a bold £1 million in the first year across shopper marketing, media, social, sampling, and events – all designed to maximise reach with parents and build strong brand awareness from day one.
The brand has also partnered with BBC Studios under the Bluey licence to launch a special range of snack pouches inspired by the global animated TV phenomenon – bringing together delicious fruit and yoghurt and the playful energy of Bluey to make snack time, fun time.
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