The research says that the decline in snacking is associated with the economic crisis, which has an impact on consumer confidence. As a result, Britons feels less financially secure and choose not to spend on non-essential products and meals.
An average of 1.8 items are purchased at a snacking occasion and there are 3.2 billion snacking visits annually, equating to a spend of £7.6 billion annually.
The typical snacking consumer is age 35+ and consumers aged 18-24 particularly favour commercially prepared snacks.
15% of people snack in workplace canteens and travel & leisure destinations, whilst 12% use vending machines and 10% use quick service coffee outlets. Retail/supermarket destinations lead with 18%.
The top snacking foods are speciality coffee (19%), carbonated soft drinks (13%) and sandwiches/wraps (13%).
The NPD research says that healthier snacking options are a growing market trend as consumers are more and more conscious of the impact of food on their health.