More and more consumers want to eat healthy and have no work with preparing the meals. A new report from independent market analyst Datamonitor reveals the desire to compromise these two needs will increasingly drive demand for healthy snack food and drink. More than 20% of consumers surveyed in Europe and the US indicated they sought healthy options much more than previously when it comes to snacking.
Snack foods and beverages sit uncomfortably in the context of the consumer trend for health and wellness, often being associated with unfavourable nutritional practices. However, despite this, snacking remains an important part of daily eating and drinking behaviour.

According to Datamonitor, the growing market for healthy snacks is being driven largely by consumer desire to find products that can match their hectic life styles. Such products represent a quick fix to the dilemma of achieving a healthy diet within a time-scarce lifestyle, but without sacrificing the experiential qualities that make snacking so pleasurable. Datamonitor’s consumer survey in the US and Europe in 2006 found that 60% of European and US consumers had sought convenient and healthy food and drinks more in the last year. Such products represent a quick fix to the dilemma of achieving a healthy diet within a time-scarce lifestyle, but without sacrificing the experiential qualities that make snacking so pleasurable. 
Health, convenience and indulgence are three trends pursued by consumers that do not sit together comfortably. Being "healthy" is often seen as inconvenient, requiring more time-intensive preparation, and as lacking indulgent credentials–not easily sacrificed for health considerations.

Table:Question: to what extent have you done the following more or less in the past year? Sought food and drinks which are both convenient AND healthy? 

	Much less	slightly less	the same	slightly more		much more	overall
Europe	1.9%	1.9%	38.3%	36.6%		21.4%	100.0%
US	2.0%	1.6%	35.2%	36.7%		24.4%	100.0%
Source: Datamonitor Consumer Survey					D A T A M O N I T O R

 

Traditional snacks are going healthy, but still face a skeptical public

Datamonitor’s survey revealed that 80% of both men and women in Europe and the US agreed that companies need to enhance the flavour and tastiness of healthy products. Consumer market analyst and author Richard Parker comments, "Snacking is a strongly sensory-based and emotive experience, and is often a response to stress or a momentary form of escapism. If that is to be fulfilling in a healthy way, then the indulgent characteristics must still be satisfied."  
Producers and retailers are taking this on board – "health" is growing as a product claim amongst typically unhealthy snack categories such as confectionery and savory snacks, with those claims increasingly focusing not just on reduced fat or sugar, but on functional benefits (added vitamins, antioxidants etc.).

However, the report notes that credibility remains a key problem for the snack industry in tapping into the health trend. Snack foods and beverages with health benefits still seem counter-intuitive to many consumers and scepticism towards corporate messages makes it an uphill battle for traditional snack producers. Datamonitor also found that when consumers consciously select more traditional, impulse snack food or beverage options, health considerations are still not a primary influence on choice. Consumers are clearly aware of the unhealthy attributes of such products but are largely choosing to consume such products in spite of them, focusing on other attributes such as taste and indulgence/treating.  
Parker concludes: "Producers need to focus on building real trust between themselves and consumers through developing products that credibly offer health benefits and at the same time meet the impulsive indulgent needs that drive snack consumption."

Datamonitor interviewed a demographically representative sample of over 5,000 consumers from eight countries in 2006. This included over 500 consumers from France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Over 1,000 consumers were interviewed in the US.

The report: Healthy Snacking - Future Trends and New Insights