It seems that Brits’ snacking habit is waning as consumers keep an eye on their waistlines. Indeed, new research from Mintel reveals UK consumers have cut down on consumption of all snacks over the past year.
Mintel research highlights that chocolate, which in 2014 was Britain’s most eaten snack tied with fresh fruit, has fallen as a snack choice by 9 percentage-points over the course of a year. Whilst over two thirds (68%) ate the snack in the month to December 2014, a year later in December 2015 just 59% said they ate the treat between meals. What’s more, in the same time frame, the number of Brits snacking on crisps and crisp-style snacks fell 10 percentage-points from 67% to 57%, the proportion snacking on sweets dropped 11 percentage-points from 40% to 29%, those snacking on cakes and sweet baked goods declined by 12 percentagepoints from 51% to 39% and an 11 percentage-point drop in usage was seen in the pie, pastry and sausage roll segment with just 25% of consumers snacking on these products in the month to December 2015.
However, it’s not just ‘unhealthy’ treats which are seeing a drop in consumption. Whilst it’s still Britain’s favourite snack, the number of consumers eating fresh fruit outside of mealtimes dropped from 68% in December 2014 to 61% in the month to December 2015, and the proportion snacking on fresh vegetables dropped from 32% to 21%.
But it seems that by and large, Brits are far from snackfree.
Overall, 95% Brits ate snacks in the month to December 2015, down by just 2 percentage-points in 2014 (97%).
With almost half (48%) of UK adults trying to eat healthily ‘most of the time’, today snacking is under threat. 70% of those who eat snacks say that cutting down on snacks is an easy way to reduce calorie intake.
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