Recent Snack Consumer Study Sheds Light on Consumer Preferences and Behavior
The first-ever joint U.S. Summer Snack Index, produced by Frito-Lay and Quaker, sheds light on consumer preferences and behavior. The Summer Snack Index from Frito-Lay and Quaker comes more than four years after Frito-Lay published its first trend analysis.
“Food is an important centerpiece for the joy that summertime brings. At Frito-Lay and Quaker, we are deeply invested in understanding what our consumers want so they can have the right flavors, variety, snack styles, and even packaging options all season,” Denise Lefebvre, senior vice president, of PepsiCo Foods R&D, mentioned.
The recurrent research is a crucial benchmark for the evolution of food preferences and purchasing decisions via the perspective of shifting consumer behavior because snacking continues to play a significant role in American lives—49% of whom report eating three or more snacks each day.
“Americans snack more in the summer, whether they’re inside, outdoors, or on the move. From boosting road trip morale to complementing an outdoor potluck, today’s data confirms the integral role that snacks will play in many of this season’s shared moments and activities,” a recent press release reveals.
Get Road Trip Ready
As summer travel is expected to increase to pre-pandemic levels, Frito-Lay and Quaker discovered important trends to keep the good times flowing.
According to the analysts, 85% of Americans agree that packing food before leaving can “greatly reduce the stress” of a protracted car journey. Americans observe that snacks are essential for keeping their spirits up when driving (43%) and for remaining sane in traffic (39%).
Nearly a quarter of people claim they have utilized food to break up awkward car silences, while 44% of people report hiding snacks to keep them from other passengers. 41% of respondents said they would prefer to be in charge of the road trip munchies over the music. Millennials (46%) and parents (49%) exhibit the highest levels of preference for snack control when compared to non-parents (36%).
The Ultimate Summer Soiree
Americans note that having “something for everyone” (74%) and “easy to share” (63%) are the best attributes for meals and snacks this summer. Shareability continues to perform better (72% vs. 28%) than “easy-to-make” items.
The worst hosting faults, according to party guests, are overcooking the meal (70%), keeping food from guests too long (62%), and not providing enough snacks or appetizers (51%). Bringing uninvited guests to a party is thought to be the worst party faux pas of the summer (63%), with baby boomers (70%) and Gen-Zers (55%) having the most differences in opinion.
Outdoor Escapes
More than half of individuals (53%) feel that post-game refreshments are more essential than winning the game when it comes to outdoor sports. Women (59%) are more likely than men (46%), to be anticipating the post-game food.
More parents report that managing their kids’ post-game snacks is more stressful than getting them to the game on time (42%). Compared to moms (38%), and dads (46%), who are the post-game ritual’s most anxious participants.
Nearly 60% of respondents agree that snacks can make or break beach days; they specifically mention running out of snacks (34%), as well as dropping food in the sand (42%).
Consumers are more inclined to buy snacks that are conveniently packaged (79%), and individually wrapped snacks are also favored (52%), according to the survey. Variety was cited as the most significant factor by parents when choosing snacks for their kids (70%) with flavor and convenience tied for second place (64%).
This survey was conducted between May 9 and May 15, 2023, among a national sample of 2,000 nationally representative US adults ages 18+. The interviews were conducted using an email invitation and an online survey. The data has been weighted to ensure an accurate representation of the U.S. adult population ages 18+.