Glanbia Nutritionals’ Healthy Snacking Consumer Study
Our latest Healthy Snacking U&A Study1 approached 3,873 consumers throughout France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the UK to explore their perceptions, behaviors, and preferences around snacking. One key finding is the shift among European consumers toward healthier snacks, including protein snacks.
Europeans Are Consuming More Healthy Products
To help identify emerging snacking trends in Europe, our study asked consumers which foods and beverages they’ve been consuming more of in the past year. The top responses were plant-based milks (UK, Germany, and France), energy drinks (Sweden), and trail mix/seeds/nut butters (Italy). But protein-fortified products were also cited—for all five countries.
Europeans are consuming more protein shakes from powder (Germany and France), RTD protein shakes (Sweden), protein pancakes (UK), and protein/energy bars (UK, Germany, and Italy). We also saw that Gen X stands out for increased protein product consumption. For the 46-64-year-old segment, three of the top six products they’ve been consuming more of are protein-fortified products (protein shakes from powder, protein cereal, and protein/energy bars).
Europeans Are Cutting Back on Unhealthy Products
As Europeans are adding more healthy snacks to their diets, they are also consuming less of many products they consider to be less healthy. In the past year, consumers in the UK and Germany have cut back the most on confections, while those in Sweden and Italy reduced soft drinks the most. French consumers have decreased their use of chocolate spreads/nut butters the most.
What's Next for Protein Snacks in Europe?
To address consumers’ growing interest in snacks with added protein, brands can look at offering a wider range of protein-fortified formats. Protein bars and shakes are on the rise in Europe, but protein-fortified savory snacks like protein chips and sweet baked goods like protein cookies can also appeal to consumers’ desires to snack healthier.
