More consumers worldwide, especially younger ones, prefer snacks to regular meals, according to a survey recently released by Mondelēz International.
The online survey, of more than 6,000 adult consumers in 12 countries, showed that 59% preferred to eat many small meals throughout the day rather than fewer, larger ones. That figure grew to 70% among millennial consumers.
Developed with Harris Poll, the survey was summarized in a report called “The State of Snacking,” released by Mondelēz earlier this month. Other results include:
- For more than 8 in 10 people, convenience (87%) and quality (85%) are among the top factors affecting snack choice.
- Consumers seek to balance healthiness and indulgence, with 77% of respondents agreeing “there is a time and a place for a healthy snack, and a time and a place for an indulgent one.”
- Snacks are prized for their comfort value as well as their taste. Among a list of reasons to snack, those scoring above 70% included “to pamper/spoil/reward myself”; “for a sense of comfort”; “to boost my mood”; “to relax/calm down/relieve anxiety.”
“However people snack, they should not have to choose between snacking and eating right, or to worry about the impact their choices have on the world and their communities,” Dirk Van de Put, chairman and CEO of Mondelēz International, said in a statement accompanying the survey. “That’s why we’re committed to empowering people to snack right.”
