The crisps and savoury snacks category is seen as a popular and innovative category to shop; and with shelves stacked high with a vast array of tempting treats, we’re helpless to resist this ever innovating category. It also presents a very competitive category, owing to cost increases and price promotions both within and across bag formats. In recent years health has been a key driver of npd as products are seen as high in salt, fat and calories. While purchase judgements based on detailed nutritional information are unlikely, it is a category where brand plays a stronger role than other food categories. The Grocery Eye examined the shopping habits of 2,000 supermarket shoppers to identify perceptions towards purchasing food and drink, as well as non-food products. It assessed the crisps and savoury snacks category to understand topics such as perceptions towards category innovation, product attributes and ingredients, as well as drivers and barriers to purchase. Check out our infographic which provides a top level overview of some key research findings across the crisps and savoury snacks category including: - Purchase motivators – from price and flavour to the role of product type and brand. - Category innovation – the route to discovery and what tempts first time buyers. - Drivers and barriers to purchase – what are the most important factors. - Future considerations – the features which will be important over the next 2 years. For a detailed overview of consumer perceptions across the crisps and savoury snacks sector and The Grocery Eye please call or email Catherine Elms, Research Director on +44(0)1865 336 400 or Catherine.elms@spafuturethinking.com

1. The Grocery Eye study was conducted in November 2013 with 2,000 primary grocery shoppers, including 430 crisps and savoury snacks category buyers.
For further information please contact Catherine Elms, Research Director E: catherine.elms@spafuturethinking.com T: +44(0)1865 336 400
Data courtesy of SPA Future Thinking
www.spafuturethinking.com innovation intelligence inspiration
What tempts buyers to try new
products in this category?
New product trial is led by wanting
to try something different, offers &
promotions and a tasty looking product.
However, motivations vary by age
Snack attackSnack attack
Popular snack products
Walkers, Pringles, own brand and KP nuts
bias towards the 55+ age groups and
Doritos to the younger 16-34 year olds.
Products currently purchased
42 32 26 26 25 24 22
49
55+
37
16-34
29
35-54
31
55+
28
35-54
33
55+
27
55+
Purchase Motivators
60% discover
NPD by seeing the
product on shelf
1 in 3 consumers
made a recent
purchase based on
an offer/promotion
Walkers crisps top the
poll with 42% buying
them nowadays
£ £ £
22%
Low price
31%
On offer /
promotion
32%
Flavour(s)
29%
It’s what I
usually buy
25%
Good value for
money
19%
Suitable pack
size
With so many crisps and savoury snacks
available, winning at the shelf is key. So
what entices consumers to make their
current purchases?
With ‘usual purchase’ not leading the way,
indications are of a competitive category. A
multitude of flavours and pack sizes are available,
and promotions are the deciding factor.
Top things consumers look for when arriving at the snacks aisle...
Following on from price, flavours lead
the way for 16-54 year olds, while
those aged 55+ consider brand to be
equally as important. Overall, brand
plays a slightly stronger role than in
other categories.
look for price
when arriving at
the crisps and
savoury snacks
section
49%
Flavour
61%
22%
Nutritional
information
21%
Brand
35%
Product type
11%
Pack size
The Grocery Eye highlights the savoury snacks category as a popular one to shop for. And why not? There’s few who aren’t
partial to a potato based snack. With shelves stacked high with a vast array of tempting treats, we’re helpless to resist this
ever innovating category.
With products being seen as high in salt, fat and calories, purchase judgements based on nutritional information is unlikely,
but brand has a slightly stronger role than other food categories, indicating some consumer loyalty.
How are consumers finding out
about new products on the market?
Seeing the product on shelf is the most common way of
discovering NPD for all age groups; while TV advertising also has
stronger than average credit for leveraging new products
60% 24% 7%
Seeing product
on shelf
TV advert
Advert at
Supermarket
32%
To try
something
different 55+
54
29%
On offer /
promotion
35-54
28%
Looked
tasty
16-34
34
36
IMPORTANT FEATURES
What features are important to purchasers
of crisps and savoury snacks?
Price as always is the key factor, followed by high quality, with 1
in 3 consumers considering this to be an important feature.
A good range is required, with both interesting/new flavours and
traditional flavours important. Health concerns are also noted,
with low fat, salt and calorie content important for around a fifth.
Price
67%
Low Fat - 22%
Low Salt - 20%
Low Calorie - 17%
New Flavours - 24%
Traditional Flavours - 21%
High Quality - 34%
CATEGORY INNOVATION
Category agreement: The key differences
Buyers
65% of buyers vs 39%
non-buyers DISAGREE that
products go out of date
before the pack is finished
Non-buyers
76% of buyers vs 47%
non-buyers AGREE that
products have pack sizes
suitable to their needs
Buyers
Non-buyers
“Have pack sizes suitable to
my needs” is the statement
with greatest disparity,
scoring higher among buyers
of crisps and savoury snacks
Going out of date shows
greater disagreement among
buyers, indicating that smaller
pack sizes may help to further
grow this category
Which features will be more important to these consumers over the next 2 years?
Price
36%
Low fat
16%
Low salt
14%
Low calorie
10%
High quality
10%
Recyclable
packaging
10%
Price, quality and health features will
continue to be important in the near
future. Factors of greater importance in
the future may well include, recyclable
packaging currently joint fourth, while
organic ingredients also moves up
the ranking – indicating that a more
environmental trend may be apparent.