Snacks are being swapped for meals in India: Mondelez Report

Mondelēz International recently announced the launch of its first-ever State of Snacking™ report, a global consumer trends study examining the role snacking plays across the world, including India, in meeting consumers’ evolving needs: busy modern lifestyles, the growing desire for community connection and as a source of cultural identity and exploration.

The State of Snacking report, was developed in partnership with consumer polling specialist, The Harris Poll. Mondelēz International launched the State of Snacking report a year after it announced a new business strategy and purpose. The data for India highlights how snacks are increasingly being swapped for meals and examines the evolving role snacking plays in the future of food: from connecting across cultures, defining identity to delivering on trends like functional and emotional wellbeing.

Commenting on the study, Deepak Iyer, President, Mondelez India, says, “With this study, we’ve examined the relationship people have with snacking, the functional and emotional role it plays in day-to-day life, and how the future of food is changing. In India, snacking is more than just what we eat, it is a tradition and an important part of our cultural identity. This report provides new levels of insight into many of the fundamental trends in India that we knew to be true – the impact of time compression, social and cultural changes and how consumers’ relationship with snacking is changing.”

Siddhartha Mukherjee, senior director – strategy, insights and analytics, Mondelez India, said, “This survey is another strong pedestal to showcase that our vision to lead the future of snacking is perfectly aligned with the growing demand for snacks. Combining our global knowledge estate with this survey will only help us further tap the opportunities across categories more effectively, whether it is the strong presence of Indians in the morning snacking routine or the preference to eat small meals throughout the day. We will continue to drive this effort and shape our offerings accordingly.”

Key findings from the 2019 State of Snacking report in India include:

Snacks are increasingly being swapped for meals in India

The average Indian adult says they now eat more snacks than meals on a given day, with 7 in 10 saying both that they snack more today than they did a year ago (71 per cent, +22 per cent global average), and that they plan to snack more often in the next year (67 per cent, +25 per cent global average.)

Snacking provides Indians with a source of identity and cultural exploration

Indians are more likely than those in other countries to participate in cultural snacking rituals daily (47 per cent, +15 per cent, global average), with 3 in 4 Indian adults saying that food is a major part of their identity (75 per cent). 7 in 10 say they connect with their culture through the snacks they eat (68 per cent, +10 per cent global average.)

Snacking Traditions build both strong bonds and memories

For Indians there is a strong link between snacking and childhood memories, family time and togetherness with 75 per cent of Indian adults saying, “some of my fondest childhood memories are sharing a snack with my parents.”

Balanced indulgence is a priority for Indian snackers

Moments of indulgence continue to have an important place in daily routines. 80 per cent of consumers agree there is a time and a place for a healthy snack, and a time and a place for an indulgent one.

About the research methodology

This survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Mondelēz International from September 16 - 27, 2019, among 6,068 global adults ages 18 and older. The research spanned 12 markets, including: The United States (n=504), Canada (n=506), Mexico (n=505), Brazil (n=515), France (n=501), Germany (n=503), The United Kingdom (n=501), Russia (n=515), China (n=503), India (n=508), Indonesia (n=504), and Australia (n=504).

Other key groups analyzed include: Centennials ages 18-22 (n=602), Millennials ages 23-38 (n=2404), Gen Xers ages 39-54 (n=1702), Boomers ages 55-73 (n=1236), and the Silent Generation ages 75+ (n=124). Data are weighted where necessary to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. A global post-weight was applied to ensure equal weight of each country in the global total.

View the full report here.