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As European consumers seek to balance the desire for indulgence with healthy eating, what they’re looking for in snacks is changing.
The craving for a decadent treat now and then, whether it’s cookies after a long workday or ice cream as a bedtime snack, is familiar to most of us. Even among the healthiest eaters, moments of feeling good matter. The majority (73%) of consumers globally enjoy foods and beverages they consider to be a small indulgence or treat at least weekly.1
| Frequency | % consumers (global) |
|---|---|
| Daily | 17% |
| Every couple of days | 25% |
| Weekly | 31% |
| Every couple of weeks | 13% |
| Monthly | 10% |
| Never | 4% |
So what is it that makes a snack indulgent? 40% of consumers say it’s a rich flavor or taste.2 This makes sense considering in Europe (and globally), the leading motivation for eating indulgent snacks is for enjoyment/pleasure. 54% of consumers in France, 44% in Spain, 42% in Germany, and 42% in the UK cite this reason.3
| Reason for consumption | % consumers (global) |
|---|---|
| For enjoyment/pleasure | 43% |
| For comfort | 30% |
| To cheer me up | 27% |
| To boost my energy levels | 23% |
| As a reward | 22% |
| To help with stress | 20% |
| To feel better mentally and emotionally | 18% |
| Because I'm bored | 17% |
| For social connection | 11% |
The time of day/snacking occasion also impacts what consumers want from a snack. Indulgence is the most important attribute for afternoon (32%), evening (36%), and late-night snacks (35%), for example.4 However, healthiness is still on consumers’ minds, with “healthy” coming in just a few points behind at 30%, 29%, and 24%, respectively.5
Interestingly, healthiness in a snack can make it seem more indulgent, provided it still tastes delicious. 39% of consumers say a snack that is “tasty yet healthy” makes a snacking experience indulgent to them,6 indicating consumers’ strong desire for snacks that achieve a balance—giving them the best of both worlds.
This trend in conscious indulgence points to an opportunity in indulgent treats that are healthier in some way than the traditional versions. This includes protein-fortified indulgent snacks such as protein cookies, muffins, and brownies, as well as ready-to-drink shakes and lattes with functional benefits. Even smaller portions address this trend like protein/energy balls in decadent flavors.
Among European consumers, the top reason for having a healthy snack is to keep a balanced diet.7 This shows an awareness of the importance of getting enough of the right nutrients and the role snacks play in this. “High in” nutrient claims are a top five attribute of a healthy snack, with nearly one-third of global consumers believing claims such as high in protein, fiber, or vitamins make a snack healthy.8
Adding protein to an indulgent snack is a powerful way to achieve better-for-you positioning. Even protein bar users are interested in more protein snack options in the European market, including protein cookies (50%), brownies (47%), and other baked goods like pastries, donuts, and cakes (30%).9 They also express interest in protein bites (30%) and balls (24%).10
The indulgent treat that provides functional benefits—especially those in high demand like energy, sleep support, and weight management—is another strategy to grab consumers' attention. Functional food and beverage formats associated with an indulgent experience include ready-to-drink and ready-to-mix shakes, as well as bars.
Bars, in particular, are known for their variety of decadent flavor options, ranging from peanut butter cup to chocolate fudge brownie. Due to recent innovations in bar texture around layers and fillings, bars can compete as healthy alternatives to ‘snackfection’ products.
This trend in conscious indulgence can help guide manufacturers in creating snacks that offer consumers the balanced approach they're looking for—snacks that provide a moment of bliss while still fitting within a healthy lifestyle.
To meet this growing demand, manufacturers of indulgent snacks can incorporate ingredients and nutrients that elevate their products to better-for-you snacks, while retaining the decadent experience consumers crave.
Glanbia Nutritionals offers a wide range of ingredient solutions for high-protein snacks, including optimized dairy and plant proteins and extruded proteins like Crunchie™ bites and crisps, while our healthy bioactives are perfect for functional snacks. You also get best-in-class flavor solutions to ensure your better-for-you snacks always taste incredible.
Collaborate with us to develop healthy indulgent snacks your consumers will love.
Protein-fortified bars, bites, cookies, and brownies are all good protein snacks. Protein snacking is growing more and more popular, appealing to people on many fronts. Protein snacks are a healthy way to tide you over until mealtime; they provide satiety to help with weight management, and they support muscle recovery after a workout. The sweeter protein snacks like protein cookies and brownies also offer permissible indulgence.
Healthy snacks to eat at night are foods that are convenient, nutritious, and keep you full through the night. Snacks that contain protein or fiber are especially effective at providing satiety. Examples of healthy nighttime snacks are protein bars and bites, yogurts, and snacking cereals with added fiber or protein.
Healthy snacking cheese is cheese in a convenient, portable format, available in a small serving size, that delivers nutritional or even functional benefits. Healthy snacking cheeses range from traditional string cheese that comes individually wrapped to next-gen cheese snacks like baked or dried 100% cheese bars, puffs, and crisps.
While all cheese is known for the nutritional benefits of protein and calcium, some newer snacking cheeses in the market (“plus” cheeses) also offer extra nutrients like vitamins A and B12 or functional ingredients like probiotics. In addition, some healthy snacking cheeses come in exciting sweet or savory flavors, while others are paired with nuts, dried fruits, meats, and crackers in combo packs.
