Demand for sharing products is on the up and the pursuit of value in these challenging times presents a great opportunity for retailers to trade up with the Big Night In occasion.
As shoppers are increasingly looking to enjoy evenings at home as a more cost-effective way to spend time together, sharing formats and fake-aways are the obvious winner for convenience.
Snacking boost
Within crisps, snacks & nuts (CSN), it is sharing bags (key for the ‘Big Night In’ occasion) that are driving growth in independent convenience stores (+28%), according to TWC. In Scotland, sharing bags are also performing well (+33.8%).
Meanwhile, strong growth is seen across the board for chocolate confectionery but sharing bags, which are key for the Big Night In, are performing particularly strongly with +17% YOY growth (+14% in Scotland, TWC notes.
“Whether it’s a big get-together to remember, a casual drink paired with nuts, or a family movie night with popcorn, the CSN sharing segment has grown significantly and represents a huge opportunity for retailers,” Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks, says.
“49% see snacks as a must-have for an evening in. These have become increasingly popular as consumers continue to spend more time at home due to trends towards more cautious spending.”
Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelez International, adds: “We’ve seen that shoppers are increasingly looking to enjoy evenings at home as a more cost-effective way to spend time together.
“This subsequent increase in the Big Night In occasion can be catered to with our gifting and sharing formats, such as Cadbury Heroes, Cadbury sharing bags and sugar confectionery.”
What’s more, value for money is continuing to play a crucial role in the way shoppers decide what to add in their basket, with PMPs being a big driver in the crisps and snacks category.
“Consumers are really feeling the pinch at the moment and independent retailers are winning where they can offer great value for money. Instead of raising the headline price of our £1 PMPs, we’ve decided to stick to £1 demonstrating Golden Wonder’s commitment to delivering great consumer value whilst offering strong retailer margins,” Matt Smith, Marketing Director for Tayto Group, explains.