Still snacky: New candy, snack products build sales
You know all that stuff about healthy eating and how consumers want to cut down on sugar and snacks?
Well, if you are a retailer looking to make money from consumer trends, forget it. The candy and snacks categories are performing quite well at retail, thanks to a combination of product introductions, strong marketing and the basic desire of many shoppers to throw some tasty merchandise into their shopping carts.
According to IRI data, the candy category posted a solid 2.74% increase in dollar sales and 2.61% jump in unit sales in the 52-week period ended Dec. 3, compared with the previous year. Total candy sales at mass retail outlets exceeded $11 billion in sales. Salty snack sales jumped by 3.53% in dollars to more than $18 billion and 2.22% in units during the same period, while dried meat snack dollar volume grew by 6.18%.
Suppliers are taking much of the credit for this growth. Officials at companies, ranging from Mars and Hershey to Frito Lay and Kellogg, say that the emphasis on new items, and their willingness to back these releases with strong advertising support, are keeping consumers excited about the categories and what is coming up next.
“The shift in consumer shopping behavior offers a unique challenge and opportunity to drive growth and increase basket sizes in the marketplace, especially within the confections category, which consistently contributes to shoppers putting more items in their basket,” said Tiffany Menyhart, vice president of U.S. category leadership at Mars Wrigley Confectionery. “With 70% of impulse purchases being driven by visibility or an in-moment craving, it’s critical retailers make it easy for shoppers to find products that meet these needs in the moment. Retailers need to maximize confectionery conversion both in immediate and future consumption. Our Transaction Zone and path-to-purchase shopper insights fuel the ideas to help retailers create an engaging shopping experience by helping shoppers find what they are seeking quickly and place into their baskets.”
Retailers also are paying more attention. While some other categories are growing at faster rates, many merchants understand the importance of candy and snacks to the overall shopping experience. Snacks are getting much more space at many retailers, and candy products are being placed throughout the store, including even more placement at the front end, to spur impulse sales.
Well, if you are a retailer looking to make money from consumer trends, forget it. The candy and snacks categories are performing quite well at retail, thanks to a combination of product introductions, strong marketing and the basic desire of many shoppers to throw some tasty merchandise into their shopping carts.
According to IRI data, the candy category posted a solid 2.74% increase in dollar sales and 2.61% jump in unit sales in the 52-week period ended Dec. 3, compared with the previous year. Total candy sales at mass retail outlets exceeded $11 billion in sales. Salty snack sales jumped by 3.53% in dollars to more than $18 billion and 2.22% in units during the same period, while dried meat snack dollar volume grew by 6.18%.
Suppliers are taking much of the credit for this growth. Officials at companies, ranging from Mars and Hershey to Frito Lay and Kellogg, say that the emphasis on new items, and their willingness to back these releases with strong advertising support, are keeping consumers excited about the categories and what is coming up next.
“The shift in consumer shopping behavior offers a unique challenge and opportunity to drive growth and increase basket sizes in the marketplace, especially within the confections category, which consistently contributes to shoppers putting more items in their basket,” said Tiffany Menyhart, vice president of U.S. category leadership at Mars Wrigley Confectionery. “With 70% of impulse purchases being driven by visibility or an in-moment craving, it’s critical retailers make it easy for shoppers to find products that meet these needs in the moment. Retailers need to maximize confectionery conversion both in immediate and future consumption. Our Transaction Zone and path-to-purchase shopper insights fuel the ideas to help retailers create an engaging shopping experience by helping shoppers find what they are seeking quickly and place into their baskets.”
Retailers also are paying more attention. While some other categories are growing at faster rates, many merchants understand the importance of candy and snacks to the overall shopping experience. Snacks are getting much more space at many retailers, and candy products are being placed throughout the store, including even more placement at the front end, to spur impulse sales.