Insights from recent research highlight the complexities of consumer decision-making in the healthy snacking market. By understanding how taste, sensory and environmental cues, packaging design, and sustainability influence consumer choices, food developers can better create products that resonate with consumer desires while promoting healthier eating habits.
More snackers claim to want ‘better-for-you’ products
According to a 2024 YouGov poll, the proportion of US snackers who describe themselves as ‘health-conscious’ has increased from 28% of the population in 2021 to 32% in 2024. These healthy snackers are more likely to be under 44 years old, with at least one child under 18. Self-reporting shows that food labels that are increasingly likely to attract these healthy snackers include references to sustainability, being environmentally friendly, and organically produced.
These findings align with Innova Markets’ global consumer snacking trends – which highlights the ‘better-for-you’ snack as a growing trend. One in three global consumers claims to eat more of these kinds of products, which include fruit and vegetable snacks. Innova also finds that 20% of global consumers say they are consuming more sustainable snacks in the last year – with the highest growth in India, Indonesia, China, and Brazil.
However, despite this growing awareness, in experimental settings taste remains the dominant factor influencing consumer choices, often surpassing health and sustainability concerns.
Implicit taste preferences trump explicit health preferences
Taste consistently emerges as the most critical factor in snack choices, even among health-conscious consumers. A forthcoming study, which will be published in the January 2025 edition of Food Quality and Preference found that consumers, despite expressing a desire for healthier options, often allow taste to drive their purchasing decisions. This creates a significant challenge for food developers: products that fail to deliver on taste may struggle in the marketplace, regardless of their health benefits.
The study involved participants evaluating snacks marketed for either their health benefits or taste. Although participants rated healthier snacks highly when their explicit response was measured, their final purchasing decisions tended to favour tastier, less healthy options. This suggests that perceptions of the healthiness of products can result in a negative impact on implicit attitudes. According to the researchers, the experiment revealed why “snacks that emphasise their healthiness sometimes experience low consumer acceptance in the market despite being evaluated positively during product development.”
Adding complexity to this scenario, another study that will be published in the same edition of the journal found that consumer beliefs about a product's attributes—particularly misconceptions about its taste or health benefits—can significantly impact their choices. Participants were asked to choose from a variety of ready-to-eat cereals, and the results revealed that inaccurate beliefs often led them to dismiss healthier options. This study underscores the importance of clear and accurate communication about product benefits. By addressing and correcting these misconceptions, food developers can help ensure that healthier options are not overlooked in favour of less nutritious alternatives.
Using sensory cues to influence consumer behaviour
Environmental and sensory cues also have a profound impact on consumer decision-making about snacks. Research published in the July 2024 edition of Current Developments in Nutrition found that exposure to the scent of low-energy dense foods, such as bell pepper, could subtly guide consumers toward choosing healthier snacks. In the study, participants who were exposed to the bell pepper scent before making their snack selections were more likely to choose low-energy, nutritious options like vegetables over higher-calorie alternatives. This suggests that sensory marketing—particularly the use of olfactory cues—can be a powerful tool for encouraging healthier eating habits. For food developers, incorporating sensory elements into product design and marketing strategies could enhance the appeal of healthier snacks and help steer consumers toward better choices.
Packaging design is another critical factor that influences consumer snacking behaviour. A study published in Current Developments in Nutrition in 2022 found that larger snack packages tend to increase the consumption of less healthy snacks, while offering a variety of healthier options encouraged consumers to make better choices. The study, conducted in a free-living environment where participants had access to different snack options, revealed that package size and variety could significantly influence how much and what consumers eat.
For instance, when presented with a larger package of snacks, participants tended to consume more, particularly if the snacks were indulgent and less healthy. Conversely, when a variety of healthier snack options were offered, consumers were more likely to choose these over less nutritious alternatives. This suggests that by carefully designing packaging—such as controlling portion sizes and offering a range of healthy options—food developers can help guide consumers toward healthier eating patterns without compromising on the enjoyment of snacking.
Sustainable selling points
As the recent consumer surveys from Innova Markets and YouGov indicate, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration for consumers. However, in real-life settings, cues that indicate more sustainable products still have a much more limited effect than cues about taste or healthiness. A study published in the June 2024 edition of Future Foods explored consumer willingness to pay a premium for sustainable snack options and found that health remains the primary driver, even when sustainability is a factor.
The study involved participants evaluating snack bars that varied in both health and sustainability attributes. While there was a growing willingness to pay more for snacks produced sustainably, the decision was still largely influenced by the perceived health benefits of the product. This finding suggests that while sustainability can enhance a product's appeal, it is most effective when integrated into a narrative that also emphasises taste and health. For food developers, this means that sustainability should be an essential component of a product's identity, but it must work in harmony with other key attributes to meet consumer expectations.
