The State of Snacking report from Mondelēz reveals people globally are dedicated to their snacks.
The report, developed in partnership with The Harris Poll, confirms data from other studies that have put forth this notion while also delving into snacking as a growing behaviour worldwide and the cultural and personal significance of snack brands and choices.
Notably six in 10 adults worldwide say they prefer to eat many small meals throughout the day compared to a few larger ones, with younger consumers especially tending to snack rather than eat meals, with the number rising to seven out of 10 millennials.
This trend is true among Australians, but among millennials and generation Z snacks even outpace meals – often as a result of pressured lives.
Summary of points made in report
A summary of points made in the report include snacking as a habit that is continuing to grow both locally and globally; Australians prioritising convenience over all else in snacking; and snacking providing bite-sized moments of human connection and nostalgia, nourishing body, mind and soul.
Mondelēz Australia Managing Director Nigel Parsons says the shift away from meals is shaping the company’s research and development efforts to come up with nutritious products that meet requirement.
What constitutes a nutritious and holistic snack?
But what Australians define as nutritious and holistic differs among generations.
Boomers are more likely to place importance on nutritional values such as low fat, low sugar and low calories, while millennials and gen Z are far more likely to seek snacks that are mood enhancing (23 per cent), brain boosting (16 per cent) or gluten free (15 per cent).
For Australians, snacking often provides bite-sized fuel in the afternoon. The report shows Australian’s snack earlier in the day than those from the US and UK, but later than consumers in China, India and Canada.
The survey involved more than 6,000 consumers across twelve countries.