Indus Valley Times

Ritwik Mukherjee

Kolkata, March 1: Snacks are no longer just for satiating the taste buds or indulgence in gastronomical pleasures. An increasing number of consumers are looking for lip smacking snacks to improve emotional (88 per cent), mental (86 per cent), physical (83 per cent) health and for some- social health.

Indian foodies are way ahead of their global counterparts, when it comes to replacing meals with mouth-watering snacks. As high as 81 per cent Indians claim to replace at least one meal each day with a snack, as opposed to 62 per cent globally. At least that’s what a recent study by Mondelez International suggests.

“Consumers are seeking a variety of snacks that can ultimately deliver a balance between functional and indulgent foods. Snacking is a key exponent to nourishing each of these areas as consumers say they are looking for snacks to improve emotional (88 per cent), mental (86 per cent), and physical (83 per cent) health. Eight out of 10 also say they are looking for snacks that help them improve their social health, craving bite-sized ways to connect with others. However, the parameters for physical, mental and emotional health vary and there is no one snack fits all approach,” the 3rd global consumer trends study on ‘State of Snacking’ by Mondelez International said.

Interestingly, Indians emerged trend setters as snacking took over traditional meals at a statistically significant pace. With 74 per cent adults preferring small meals throughout the day than large ones, and 81 per cent indicating that they replace at least one meal each day with a snack, consumers are always on the search for the right snack.

“Snacking remains intrinsic to India’s consumption culture, enabling everyday social moments, being a source of comfort and providing needful indulgence. However, with the evolving role that snacking now plays in our lives, Indian consumers are getting a lot more experimental. Going beyond variety, taste and accessibility, our study indicates a clear connection between snacking and wellbeing, with consumers acknowledging indulgence the right way. With it is also the growing demand for judicious purchase choices- right from the ingredients, manufacturing to packaging. These insights only strengthen our purpose to empower people to snack right as we lead the future of snacking,” said Anil Viswanathan, Vice President – Marketing, Mondelez India.

While the pandemic has given way to more indulgence, as per the 2021 State of Snacking report, 9 in 10 Indian adults (88 per cent) shared they are snacking more, a 20 per cent jump from the global average. The report tracks purchase patterns of consumers revealing that 82 per cent Indian consumers expect to buy their choice of snacks whenever they want and 83 per cent agree that it should be a channel of their choice.

Consumers are striving for a healthy balance between taste and health. At least 77 per cent consumers agree that certain snacks can be reserved for the enjoyment of snacking rather than worrying about nutrition. Portion control and labeling are also gaining notice for consumers with 86 per cent stating say it is important for them to have control over the portion size and ingredients in their snacks.