Americans Prefer Salty Snacks

Salty snack category generates sales of USD27bn in the US, according to Nielsen. Americans love to snack, but the reason they do and what they snack on, can depend on a variety of factors, including where they live, gender, generation and income.

Regardless of why consumers snack, knowing what they snack on is key to ensuring the right assortment of products is available to the right consumers in the store aisles.

As eating preferences evolve and tastes change, American consumers still reach for sweet and salty snacking staples when they need something to tide them over until their next meal. Salty snacks, including chips, popcorn and meat snacks, still reign supreme among Americans looking to satisfy their snack cravings, generating more than USD27bn in sales across Nielsen-measured U.S. retail stores for the year-ended April 1, 2017. Sweets aren’t too far behind, with candy raking in more than USD20bn, followed by cookies with sales in excess in USD7bn.

Looking across the U.S., it’s interesting to see the similarities and differences consumers share when it comes to snacking, depending on where they live. In a recent Harris Poll EquiTrend study, released by Nielsen, U.S. consumers evaluated 275 snacking brands and identified their favorite items. 

While the majority consumers chose items from the candy/chocolate category, there are some notable differences by region.

As with most categories, one size does not fit all when it comes to snacking. Consumers across the U.S. have individual shopping preferences, and retailers should stock their shelves accordingly.