Ever wondered how a £4.8 billion industry fuelled by crisps, popcorn, and a premiumization craze keeps Britain munching through 1.47 billion kilograms of snacks each year?
Key Takeaways
- The UK snack food market was valued at £4.8 billion in 2023, representing a 5.2% increase from 2022 driven by premiumization trends.
- Savory snacks accounted for 62% of the total UK snack market value in 2023, equating to approximately £2.98 billion.
- Confectionery snacks grew by 7.1% year-on-year in 2023 to reach £1.82 billion in the UK market.
- UK savory snacks revenue forecast to reach £5.2 billion by 2028.
- Overall UK snack market expected to grow at 3.8% CAGR to 2028.
- Healthy snacks segment projected 6.5% annual growth to 2028 in UK.
- 68% of UK consumers aged 25-34 snack daily on savory items.
- 42% of UK adults prefer healthier snack options in 2023 surveys.
- UK women snack more frequently than men, at 3.2 times per day vs 2.8.
- Crisps represent 45% of UK savory snacks by volume sales.
- Potato-based crisps account for 92% of UK crisp market.
- Hand-cooked crisps grew 11% in UK volume in 2023.
- UK crisp production reached 7 billion packs in 2023.
- 85% of UK crisps manufactured domestically in 2023.
- Snack food employment in UK totals 25,000 direct jobs.
The UK snack market is booming with strong growth driven by premium and healthy options.
Consumer Insights
- 68% of UK consumers aged 25-34 snack daily on savory items.
- 42% of UK adults prefer healthier snack options in 2023 surveys.
- UK women snack more frequently than men, at 3.2 times per day vs 2.8.
- 55% of UK consumers seek low-sugar snacks according to 2023 poll.
- Top UK snack occasion is evening TV watching, 71% participation.
- 37% of UK millennials opt for plant-based snacks regularly.
- UK consumers aged 55+ favor nuts, with 48% weekly consumption.
- 62% of UK parents buy snacks for children weekly.
- High-protein snacks chosen by 29% of UK gym-goers daily.
- 51% UK consumers influenced by packaging in snack purchases.
- Spicy flavors preferred by 44% of UK snack consumers under 35.
- 66% of UK shoppers read nutritional labels on snacks.
- Afternoon snacking peaks at 3pm for 53% of UK workers.
- 39% UK consumers snack while working from home daily.
- Gluten-free snacks bought by 22% of UK households monthly.
- 47% prefer sharing-sized snack packs in UK surveys.
- UK ethnic minorities snack on crisps 1.5x more than average.
- 58% UK consumers willing to pay more for sustainable snacks.
- Crisps dominate UK savory snacks with 78% consumer preference.
- 34% UK snackers avoid artificial ingredients.
- Savory snacks hold 52% share of UK at-home snacking occasions.
Consumer Insights Interpretation
Young Britons are fervently munching their way through the evening, torn between the siren call of a crisp and the nagging guilt of a nutritional label, all while the nation's snack habits paint a picture of a health-conscious yet hedonistic, packaging-swayed, and planet-worrying populace.
Growth Rates
- UK savory snacks revenue forecast to reach £5.2 billion by 2028.
- Overall UK snack market expected to grow at 3.8% CAGR to 2028.
- Healthy snacks segment projected 6.5% annual growth to 2028 in UK.
- UK crisps market value growth forecasted at 2.9% per year to 2028.
- Confectionery snacks in UK to increase by 5.1% CAGR 2023-2028.
- Snack bars UK market growth rate of 4.7% annually to 2028.
- Nuts segment in UK snacks to grow 5.3% per year to 2028.
- Popcorn UK market projected 8.2% CAGR through 2028.
- Extruded snacks UK growth forecast 3.5% annually to 2028.
- Fruit-based snacks UK to see 7.8% growth rate to 2028.
- Meat snacks UK market CAGR 4.1% projected to 2028.
- Cereal bars UK forecast growth 3.9% per year to 2028.
- Pretzels UK snacks segment 4.5% CAGR to 2028 expected.
- Premium snacks UK growth rate 7.2% annually to 2028.
- Own-label snacks UK to grow 5.0% CAGR through 2028.
- E-commerce snacks sales UK 12% annual growth to 2028.
- Low-carb snacks UK projected 9.1% growth to 2028.
- Vegan snacks market UK 11.3% CAGR forecast to 2028.
Growth Rates Interpretation
The UK is on track to become a £5.2 billion powerhouse of guilty pleasures and virtuous bites, where popcorn and vegan treats are sprinting ahead while the humble crisp is merely power-walking towards the future.
Industry Operations
- UK crisp production reached 7 billion packs in 2023.
- 85% of UK crisps manufactured domestically in 2023.
- Snack food employment in UK totals 25,000 direct jobs.
- UK imports £150 million worth of snack nuts annually.
- Exports of UK savory snacks reached £120 million in 2023.
- 12 major crisp factories operate in the UK as of 2023.
- Potato usage for UK crisps: 500,000 tonnes per year.
- Waste reduction in UK snack production: 15% improvement 2020-2023.
- Energy use per tonne of crisps down 10% since 2019 UK.
- 70% of UK snack packaging now recyclable.
- Snack food R&D spend in UK: £45 million annually.
- Top 10 brands control 65% of UK savory snack market.
- Walkers Crisps produce 7 million packs daily in UK.
- UK snack industry water usage: 2.5 litres per kg produced.
- Automation in UK crisp lines: 95% of major factories.
- Snack exports to EU: 60% of total UK snack exports.
- UK snack firms invest £200 million in new equipment 2023.
- Carbon footprint of UK crisps: 1.2 kg CO2 per kg.
- 40 UK companies specialize in snack contract manufacturing.
- Oil usage for frying crisps: 300 million litres yearly UK.
- UK snack industry recycling rate: 82% of packaging.
Industry Operations Interpretation
While the UK snack industry continues to fuel the national diet and economy with billions of packs, it’s also, perhaps surprisingly, using its own bag of tricks to become more efficient, innovative, and environmentally responsible.
Market Overview
- The UK snack food market was valued at £4.8 billion in 2023, representing a 5.2% increase from 2022 driven by premiumization trends.
- Savory snacks accounted for 62% of the total UK snack market value in 2023, equating to approximately £2.98 billion.
- Confectionery snacks grew by 7.1% year-on-year in 2023 to reach £1.82 billion in the UK market.
- The UK healthy snacks segment within the snack food industry reached £1.2 billion in sales in 2023.
- Total UK snack food volume sales stood at 1.47 billion kg in 2023, up 2.8% from the previous year.
- Popcorn sales in the UK snack market increased by 12% in value terms during 2023.
- UK extruded snacks market value hit £450 million in 2023.
- Nuts and seeds snacks generated £320 million in UK retail sales in 2023.
- UK snack food market share held by own-label products was 52.3% in 2023.
- Premium snack foods in the UK saw a 9.4% value growth in 2023.
- UK crisp sales volume reached 1.2 billion packs in 2023.
- Snack bars contributed £280 million to the UK snack market in 2023.
- Fruit snacks market in the UK was valued at £150 million in 2023.
- UK meat snacks segment valued at £95 million in 2023 sales.
- Cereal bars in UK snacks reached £210 million in 2023.
- UK snack nuts market grew to £410 million by end of 2023.
- Pretzels and other snacks hit £180 million in UK 2023.
- UK snack food e-commerce sales were £1.1 billion in 2023.
- Impulse snack purchases made up 45% of UK snack sales in 2023.
- UK snack food market CAGR from 2018-2023 was 4.2%.
Market Overview Interpretation
The UK spent nearly £5 billion proving it prefers posh crisps in its right hand while guiltily clutching a granola bar in the left, a delicate balancing act fueling an empire built on impulse.
Product Trends
- Crisps represent 45% of UK savory snacks by volume sales.
- Potato-based crisps account for 92% of UK crisp market.
- Hand-cooked crisps grew 11% in UK volume in 2023.
- Tortilla chips UK sales up 8.7% to £250 million in 2023.
- Popcorn flavored variants increased 15% in UK launches 2023.
- Extruded snacks like cheese puffs hit 22% flavor innovation rate.
- Nuts coated variants grew 14% in UK retail 2023.
- Snack bars with 100-calorie options up 20% in listings.
- Fruit gummies/snacks low-sugar versions doubled in 2023 UK.
- Meat snacks jerky sales rose 18% volume in UK 2023.
- Cereal bars high-fiber claims on 35% of new UK products.
- Pretzel sticks/thins increased 12% in multipack formats.
- Vegan crisps launched 25 new SKUs in UK 2023.
- Premium thick-cut crisps hold 28% savory snack premium share.
- Sea salt & vinegar flavor 19% of UK crisp sales.
- Prawn cocktail crisps 12% market share in flavored crisps.
- Ready-salted crisps steady at 25% of total crisp sales UK.
- Cheese & onion flavor dominates at 22% UK crisps.
- BBQ flavors up 16% in savory snack innovations UK 2023.
- Low-fat crisps 8% of baked snack segment UK.
Product Trends Interpretation
The UK's snack landscape reveals a nation that is predictably loyal to the potato crisp yet increasingly adventurous, with a growing appetite for everything from premium thick-cut versions and gourmet flavors to healthier tweaks and plant-based options, all while never truly abandoning its iconic cheese and onion.
Sales Distribution
- Supermarkets account for 78% of UK snack sales value.
- Convenience stores hold 15% share of UK impulse snack sales.
- Online grocery snack sales up 25% to £850 million in 2023 UK.
- Discounters like Aldi/Lidl: 22% growth in snack sales 2023.
- Multiple grocers (Tesco, Sainsbury) 55% snack market share.
- Forecourt stores snack sales £420 million annually UK.
- Own-label snacks 52% volume share in supermarkets.
- Promotional sales drive 28% of UK snack purchases.
- Vending machines contribute 3% to total snack sales UK.
- Health food stores: 5% of healthy snack segment sales.
Sales Distribution Interpretation
While Britain's supermarkets maintain their iron grip on the snack throne, a skirmish is brewing at the edges, where discounters are raiding the crisps aisle, online carts are filling silently, and our guilty pleasures are increasingly bought on impulse and sold under a supermarket's own name.
Sources & References
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- Reference 3KANTARkantar.comVisit source
- Reference 4NIELSENIQnielseniq.comVisit source
- Reference 5BRITISHSNACKASSOCIATIONbritishsnackassociation.orgVisit source
- Reference 6NIELSENnielsen.comVisit source
- Reference 7INNOVAMARKETINSIGHTSinnovamarketinsights.comVisit source
- Reference 8MARKETRESEARCHmarketresearch.comVisit source
- Reference 9GLOBALDATAglobaldata.comVisit source
- Reference 10FOODMANUFACTUREfoodmanufacture.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 11GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 12UKTRADEINFOuktradeinfo.comVisit source
- Reference 13FOODPROCESSING-TECHNOLOGYfoodprocessing-technology.comVisit source
- Reference 14POTATOpotato.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 15WRAPwrap.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 16WALKERSwalkers.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 17FOODfood.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 18FOODPROCESSINGUKfoodprocessinguk.comVisit source
- Reference 19VALPAKvalpak.co.ukVisit source