The latest consumer research from Hartman Group suggests snack buyers are increasingly looking for products that combine health benefits with enjoyment, rather than forcing a choice between the two.

According to the company’s Snacking 2026: Balancing Purpose and Pleasure report, consumers are becoming more deliberate in their snack choices, seeking products that offer nutritional benefits while still delivering on taste, convenience and affordability. The research finds that “Pleasure” remains the primary motivation behind snacking, influencing 71% of snacking occasions, while “Nourishment” contributes to 63% of occasions.

The report highlights a significant gap between consumer aspirations and current purchasing behavior. While 40% of respondents said they would like to eat more snacks with functional benefits—making it the second most common aspiration after healthier snacking overall—functional snacks remain among the least common choices in consumers’ current routines.

According to Hartman Group, this reflects the multiple trade-offs consumers face when selecting snacks. Functional products must not only deliver health benefits but also meet expectations for taste, value, convenience and increasingly, ingredient quality and levels of processing.

The research also underscores the importance of consumption context. Around 67% of consumers report snacking differently at home than when away from home. At home, greater food availability encourages more deliberate choices focused on nutrition and dietary goals, although it also increases the likelihood of indulgent or unplanned snacking. By contrast, on-the-go purchases are driven primarily by portability, speed and convenience.

Hartman Group concludes that brands are unlikely to change consumer behaviour through health-focused messaging alone. Instead, manufacturers that successfully reduce the perceived compromises between nutrition, taste, convenience and affordability are expected to be better positioned to meet evolving consumer expectations.

The Snacking 2026: Balancing Purpose and Pleasure report examines four pillars of the company’s Modern Snacking Framework—Pleasure, Nourishment, Distraction and Optimization—and includes analysis of household demographics, sources of product inspiration and category-specific consumer insights.