Let's be clear - snacking isn't a bad thing. I, for one, love to snack. Whether it's popcorn for a movie night with the kids, or the biscuits I'm enjoying with a brew to write this blog. Snacks are more than just a stopgap until our next meal but something to savour, tied inextricably with time and place.
But what is clear is that snacking behaviour is evolving - and fast.
It's no longer just about convenience or indulgence. Snacking is being reshaped by shifting cultural norms and how we see ourselves. In many ways, it's a microcosm of the bigger challenges we face: balancing health with happiness, discipline with reward, and long-term goals with short-term comfort.
Despite how embedded snacks are in our daily routines, snacking occasions in the UK have dropped by 330 million since 2020*.
But here's the contradiction: while we're trying to cut back, snacks remain an emotional lifeline - especially in the colder months or on difficult days. They're still how many of us push through the 3 p.m. slump, wind down after a long day, or reward ourselves for making it through the week.
A Balance of Comfort, Convenience, and Connection
Snacking sits at a crossroads of health, indulgence, and emotional wellbeing. For many, they offer comfort, pleasure, and a quick mood boost - especially familiar favourites like chocolate, sweets, and crisps.
Snacks must sometimes be practical. People turn to transportable, packaged options - from cereal bars to fruit - for quick fixes and "grab-and-go" energy boosts during busy moments or on the move.
And then there's the social side; snacks play a key role in togetherness. From movie nights with the family to cheese-and-wine evenings or party spreads with friends, snacks create shared moments of enjoyment. Foods like popcorn, dips, and "nibbly bits" aren't just functional - they're part of the ritual.
Our report has identified 6 key need states
- Emotional Treats - Comfort, Indulgence, and Mood Boosting
- Quick & Easy - Quick Fixes and Grab-and-Go
- Movie / TV Snacking - Snacking as a Social Ritual
- Hunger Fillers - Filling Gaps and Boosting Energy
- Healthier Choices - Navigating what health means and 'trying to be good'
- Party & Sharing - Snacks for Social Moments and Togetherness
Snack brands need to be top of mind for relevant occasions
Snacking is situational - and increasingly emotional. It's not just what we eat, but when, why, and how. Younger shoppers are snacking for more reasons than older ones - from energy boosts and functional health to emotional eating and social snacking.
Snacks offer a kind of sensory satisfaction. It's the feeling snacks give us - the textures and tastes that keep us coming back. Think "crunchy", "crispy", "chewy", "soft" and the balance of "sweet and savoury" or "salt and sugar". They represent the tactile and emotional gratification we crave in a moment.
This makes it essential for brands to move beyond function and flavour alone. Snacks must connect with specific occasions and needs, especially as consumers become more self-aware of how their food fits into their wider lifestyles.
Weight Loss Injections, a potential game changer
Snacking healthily is an aspiration, and trends like reducing sugar are already well-established, but avoiding ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is being mentioned more and more. Despite UPFs not being well understood, our report points to less processed recipes being a key driver of purchase.
One of the most unexpected findings in our research? Just how quickly weight loss injections have gained traction and trust.
With appetite suppression as a side effect, these treatments could lead to more snacking and grazing in place of traditional meals. This shift would require a rethink of product formats, portioning, and formulation, as brands adapt to a new type of consumer who eats less and more intentionally.
In summary...
Snacking is no longer just a filler - it's a feeling. As our lifestyles, pressures, and priorities shift, so do our expectations of snacks. We want them to deliver comfort, control, and a sense of self. Especially at a time when so little is under our control.
For brands, this means asking not just what consumers want, but why they want it in that moment - and what role your product plays in that instant.
Our latest report dives deep into this evolving world of snacking and what it means for NPD, reformulation, and brand strategy in the months ahead.
Want to explore the full findings? Contact us at info@swift-research.co.uk
*Source: Kantar Worldpanel Usage - Total Food and Drink. The data compares the 52 weeks to 29 December 2024 with a similar period in 2020. The samples size is 4,000 households across Great Britain
