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Mintel survey finds over 75% of Indians snack to relieve stress & boredom
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Wednesday, 16 June, 2021, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Bengaluru
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Mintel survey indicates that emotions are a powerful driver of snacking. This is after a majority of Indian consumers agreeing to the fact that they snack to relieve boredom (77%) and stress (76%).
In fact, due to the onset of the pandemic, nine out of 10 Indians (90%) agreed that they suffered from some form of stress, while 38% of consumers have shown interest in food with added benefits to cope with stress. Meanwhile, since the start of the first Covid-19 lockdown, close to two in five (39%) of consumers have increased snacks consumption.
Rushikesh Aravkar, associate firector, Food and Drink, Mintel Consumer Reports South APAC, said, “Our research shows a clear connection between emotional wellbeing or the perception of wellbeing and snacking, which presents brands with opportunities to associate snacking occasions with moments of de-stressing and relaxation. Brands can appeal to consumers by highlighting emotional wellbeing through notions of comfort, nostalgia and familiarity by way of marketing and brand communications.”
“As consumers transit into the ‘next normal’ post-pandemic, they will continue to reach for food that offers comfort and security. In the next 12-18 months, consumers will expect snack brands to respond to their emotional needs of stress relief and relaxation. Positioning snacks as mood food with health benefits can help brands establish emotional connections with consumers. They can also appeal to stressed consumers by introducing ingredients containing nervines and adaptogens and communicating the relaxing benefits they bring,” he added.
While taste remains important to consumers, brands have an opportunity to ride the clean label and health waves. Here the research highlights that close to two-thirds of consumers (71%) say taste is more important than how healthy the snack is, while 85% of Indian consumers wish there were healthy snack options available.
Among the new snack product launches in India between February 2016 to January 2021, the company indicates growth in natural claims such as the ‘no additives or preservatives’ claim saw a rise from 11% to 16% and ‘free from added/artificial preservatives’ increased from 7% to 15%.
“It is important for snack brands to deliver on taste, indulgence as well as health. The growth in clean label claims, such as no additives or preservatives, in India further indicates a shift toward health positioning and we expect to see the demand for more free-from formulations will rise. As the clean label trend takes root in India, consumers will look for products made with simple and familiar ingredients,” said Aravkar.
While smaller packs can help with conscious consumption, the company's Global New Products Database (GNPD) highlights that the majority of new snack product launches in India between February 2020 and January 2021 came in pack sizes of 101-250g (37%), while 7% of launches came in unit sizes of 21-40g.
“Packs with smaller serving sizes provide inherent portion control that limits calorie intake and prevents overeating. Hence, snack packs with unit pack sizes of 21-40g are ideal for delivering a single serving and will appeal to heavy snackers who find it hard to keep track of how much they eat while snacking,” concluded Aravkar.
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