From Regulation to Innovation: Embracing HFSS Regulation Changes and the Evolution of Snacking

HFSS Regulations Changes and the Shift in Snacking Trends

As HFSS regulation changes come in to place, you need to keep monitoring snack trends closely over the year ahead, keeping health, sharing and impulse in mind.

Over the past few years, occasions for snacking have changed. Regular snacking rather than the previous standard of three meals a day is now widespread. The UK food and drink industry has seen a wave of innovation in the last few years, with the snacking sector being no exception. When it comes to UK eating habits, 'healthy eating' has been a key focus, bringing a plethora of new and innovative products to the snacking scene. 66% of snackers eat between meals at least once a day, demonstrating how ingrained snacks are in Brit's diets. Time poor modern lifestyles are one core factor fuelling our reliance on snacks.

Millennials are now coming of age and hold a very large part of the UK’s spending power. They don’t mind spending that little bit extra in store to get a product which they know is good/better for them. Many would also be willing to walk out of a store if they couldn’t find the healthy and on trend snacks which they want, rather than opting for a traditional crisp or chocolate bar. This means for many retailers who don’t have something new in store, they’re missing out on incremental sales. People are much more interested in what they put inside their bodies. Consumers in general are focused on responsibility of self, society and the planet.

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Shoppers are willing to spend that bit extra it means they’re consuming better for you replacements which make them feel good. Over the past few years we have seen the healthier snacking category move from a category that only a few upmarket retailers gave any real shelf space to a must have category that every retailer needs create space for in their stores.

We’re often told that selecting nutritious and wholesome snacks can help improve our wellbeing – but could healthier snacking options be beneficial to your profit margins too. The UK has a reputation as the largest snacking nation in Europe and, at an estimated worth of £18 billion pounds, businesses are clamouring to both satisfy the nation’s taste buds and grab a sizeable share of the healthy snack market.

What Makes a Snack On-Trend?

It’s not all about taste. Of course snacks have to taste great, but all of the senses are engaged when snacking. We eat with our eyes as well as our mouths. Eye-catching colours, engaging textures and creative packaging all contribute to a snack’s successs. In this 'Instagrammable' shareable era, it’s the most colourful, most engaging and dynamic snack that grabs our attention. Every snack should tell a story. We want to know the story behind our snacks. It’s not just eating snacks with identifiable ingredients and recognisable origins, it’s also snacks that have authenticity or a unique history. We know that consumers love nostalgia when choosing a snack, but there’s also room for 'newstalgia' and creative options that Millennials and Gen-Z will share with their peers.

Balance is the key word for successful new snacks. Consumers want to indulge, but also want healthy options. More than ever, snacking is about balancing the ‘good’ with the ‘bad.’ Looking for healthier and indulgence in the same snack is key with snackers choosing wholegrains, vegan, or paleo snacks to satisfy snack urges while supporting good intentions. The perception of the snack market is that everything is a snack these days. In our frenetic, on-the-go society, snacks can be meal solutions, balls, bites, or just about anything else in between. And it’s not just standing out in a growing array of snack options; it’s also standing out on store shelves by offering a creative solution that ticks one (or all) of the core snack trends. 

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