Pandemic Has Us ‘Snacking For Fun’ Instead Of On-The-Go

As people across the country were under shelter-in-place orders, many turned to snacking for comfort. 

A survey conducted in May by California Walnuts and Kelton Global explored the snacking behaviors of Americans and how they’ve changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

And comfort was the first priority. Seventy-five percent of respondents reported they weren’t trying to eat healthier snacks, and 33 percent said they’ve found comfort in their favorite snacks since mid-March.

David Walsh, VP of membership and communications with SNAC International, echoed this trend, saying that consumers are “snacking for fun.”

“So consumers – while they’re not maybe on-the-go as much because their quarantining at home…they’re still snacking a lot,” Walsh said. “And it’s probably being driven a little bit more by gravitation towards comfort food.”

According to Frito-Lay Snack Index survey data, eight in 10 say the top deciding factors when buying snacks are convenience and staying true to favorites.

“Consumers want their snacks at home,” Walsh said. “And they’re doing it as more of entertainment instead of on-the-go sustenance.”

SNAC International is the leading international trade association of the global snack industry. It’s made up of about 400 member companies worldwide, including manufacturers, marketers, producers and a wide range of suppliers to the industry.

SNAC works to bring members together to learn about trends, the future of the industry, consumer preferences and education about regulations.

As Walsh noted, consumers were drawn to more portable snacks with smaller serving sizes prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. He said that this push has been driven by younger generations.

“Millennials kind of started this snack trend, and it’s being carried through now by Gen Z, which has just led to an even stronger snack industry,” he said. “As those generations become more mature and increase their buying power, it’s led to some more snack growth.”