Snacking key to mind, body and soul says Mondelēz International’s State of Snacking™ Report

• Social media continues to inspire new snack choices
• Consumers continue to strike a balance between indulgent & nourishing snacks

INDIA – February 15, 2022 – Mondelēz International today announced the launch of its third global consumer trends study, State of Snacking™ report, highlighting the broader role snacking plays in the lives of consumers’ along with insights on emerging trends driven by pandemic induced changes. This year again, Indians emerged trend setters as snacking took over traditional meals at a statistically significant pace. With 74% adults preferring small meals throughout the day than large ones, and 81% indicating that they replace at least one meal each day with a snack, consumers are always on the search for the right snack.

The findings from the State of Snacking report not only demonstrate the expanded meaning of snacking in consumers’ lives, but also indicate opportunities to fulfill the demand gap in the world of snacking through future innovations across categories. In fact, bite sized moments of flavor and enjoyment are becoming increasingly indispensable. 76% adults mentioned that they could not imagine a world without a sweet treat during their day. Majority of Indians say they feel the same way about chocolate (78%) and birthday cake (78% ). Furthermore, food products ranked No.1, with 75% consumers looking for maximum choice in the category when making a purchase.

Anil Viswanathan, Vice President - Marketing, Mondelez India, added, “Snacking remains intrinsic to India’s consumption culture, enabling everyday social moments, being a source of comfort and providing needful indulgence. However, with the evolving role that snacking now plays in our lives, Indian consumers are getting a lot more experimental. Going beyond variety, taste and accessibility, our study indicates a clear connection between snacking and wellbeing, with consumers acknowledging indulgence the right way. With it is also the growing demand for judicious purchase choices- right from the ingredients, manufacturing to packaging. These insights only strengthen our purpose to empower people to snack right as we lead the future of snacking.”

While the 2021 State of Snacking global report is available for download at www.stateofsnacking.com, here are the key highlights from the India report:

SNACK CONTINUES TO REPLACE MEALS

81% Indians claim to replace at least one meal each day with a snack, as opposed to 62% 

globally

• 78% look forward to snacks (eaten b/w or instead of meals) during the day, more than the meals
• In fact, 74% prefer to eat many small meals throughout the day, as opposed to a few large ones

SNACK- FOOD FOR MIND, BODY & SOUL

Consumers are seeking a variety of snacks that can ultimately deliver a balance between functional and indulgent foods. The parameters for physical, mental and emotional health vary and there is no one snack fits all approach

• Snacking is a key exponent to nourishing each of these areas as consumers say they are looking for snacks to improve emotional (88%), mental (86%), and physical (83%) health.
• 8 in 10 also say they are looking for snacks that help them improve their social health, craving bite-sized ways to connect with others. 

HONORING INDULGENCE THE RIGHT WAY

While the pandemic has given way to more indulgence, as per the 2021 State of Snacking report, 9 in 10 Indian adults (88%) shared they are snacking more, a 20% jump from the global average.

• Consumers are striving for a healthy balance between taste and health. 77% consumers agree that certain snacks can be reserved for the enjoyment of snacking rather than worrying about nutrition.
• Portion control and labeling are also gaining notice for consumers with 86% stating say it is important for them to have control over the portion size and ingredients in their snacks.

SNACK ON DEMAND

The report tracks purchase patterns of consumers revealing that 82% Indian consumers expect to buy their choice of snacks whenever they want and 83% agree that it should be a channel of their choice.

• Convenience (80%) and Variety (86%) take the front seat for purchase of snacks. Consumers are now also open to newer avenues of shopping and have widened their palates.

SOCIAL MEDIA AS A SNACKING INSPIRATION

It’s an era of rapid change and consumers are now open to taking new risks with snacking experimentation. 90% of Indian consumers say they “look forward to trying new snacks”.

• Majority of this risk-taking attitude is inspired by social media, as 9 in 10 adults mentioned that they prefer their social feeds to be as appetizing as their plates. Topping their list of priorities with food content rich with sensory experience, interesting food trends, grocery hauls.

The 2021 State of Snacking report, developed in partnership with consumer polling specialist, The Harris Poll, and supported with trends intelligence from Nextatlas, complements Mondelēz International’s robust snacking trends data bank with rich insights from among thousands of consumers across 12 countries, including India.