Speciality-Food-June-2025

6 their familiar favourite to sample a limited-edition flavour (22%) or products offering extra crunch (20%). Here are just a few ways retailers can encourage their customers to get out of their snacking comfort zone: ● Sampling Being able to sample products is the best (and most tried and tested) way of encouraging shoppers to explore something new to them . Whether it’s a recent launch, an unusual flavour profile, something whacky (crunchy insect snacks) or a brand you’ve stocked for a long time which you feel needs a bit of promotional love, handing out testers gives your customers the opportunity to decide if they really like something before parting with their cash, giving them the confidence to buy. ● Spark up a bit of competition Gamify snack buying by encouraging shoppers to vote for their favourites (from a chosen few) in a social poll. Putting promotions on a variety of included products is a fun way to create engagement, while shining a spotlight on the breadth of your range. ● Encourage snack switching While some will never be fully swayed away from their most The research demonstrated that while consumers are on the hunt for shiny new products to try, they are surprisingly loyal to the brands and products they already love. Although three out of 10 people asked said they were bored with their current snacking situation, 24% admitted they’d been buying the same snack for at least a decade. A third of these (32%) said it was for comfort, 22% for convenience, 18% through fear of being disappointed, and 11% admitted they were in a ‘snack rut’. Interestingly, 10% of those asked said they didn’t waver from their usual choice because there was too much choice available to them. Other key findings included that: • 77% felt they were on autopilot when they buy snacks. • 34% wanted to break free from their current snacking cycle. • 32% admitted to eating the same snack up to five times per week, some up to seven times. • 50% felt having a snack was something exciting to look forward to during the day. • 16% thought it was ‘cheating’ to deviate from their usual snack, but it gives them a ‘thrill’ to try something new. • When it comes to exploring within the snacking world, those asked were more likely to switch from Brits want to shake up snack time A recent survey, commissioned by Cheez-It, shows British snackers are keen to switch-up what goes into their baskets – though not at the expense of forgetting their favourite products. loved brands, they might be open to switching between their usual option and something different. A nice merchandising idea in store (which would also work on socials) is to bring together a few snack products for sampling, with members of staff on hand to advise customers which they might enjoy depending on their current snacking choices. This could be as simple as switching from a ‘supermarket’ crisp brand to an artisan alternative, or exploring texture and flavours. For example, if they love meaty crisps, would they be open to trying biltong or snacking salamis? ● Drink pairings Matching snacks with drinks is all the rage – especially crisps and wine. Upsell in the drinks aisle by making suggestions (alongside beer, wine, cider and cocktail tasting notes) of ideal snacking partners. Posh prawn cocktail crisps with Champagne or sparkling wine, for example, anything spicy with craft lager, and cheese-flavoured snacks with farmhouse cider. ● Expand your options What consumers want from snacking has changed. As well as the usual crisps and nuts, they’re thinking more than ever before about their wellbeing, and how what they eat impacts their health. So, in addition to the usual suspects, be sure to meet their needs with an extensive array of different things to try. Popular choices at the moment include freeze-dried fruit, healthier cereal and oat bars, protein-rich snacks, individually sized artisan chocolate bars, and chocolate- coated fruit and nuts. @specialityfood British consumers are becoming increasingly angered by supermarkets’ plastic use, according to new research from Nature 2030. Nearly 80% of those surveyed said they felt supermarkets still have too much single-use plastic in their businesses, with 69% adding that they felt profits were put before reducing environmental impact. It’s estimated that UK supermarkets generate, on average, 30 billion pieces of plastic waste each year – more than France, Germany and Spain. Plastic bottles account for a large portion of this figure, with Government data suggesting more than 12 billion of themwere sold across the UK in 2024. Greater scrutiny, those surveyed said, needs to be applied to retail giants to ensure they’re not just paying lip service to their sustainability credentials. This comes as a study by the Environmental Investigation Agency found 70% of soft plastic collected through Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s take-back schemes was incinerated, rather than recycled. A Plastic Planet and Plastic Health Council co-founder, Sian Sutherland, said our “plastic crisis” can no longer be ignored. “Supermarkets are turning a blind eye to the mountains of waste they produce each year, and they will not clean up their act alone; ministers must legislate.” While the introduction of a deposit return scheme (DRS) is welcomed, Sian thinks this is “a drop in the ocean”. “Plastic production is set to rise exponentially, and beverage containers are a fraction of plastic waste. If we are to see any real change, wholesale reduction in the production of plastic is desperately needed for the health of not only the planet, but our bodies.” “For too long, we have acknowledged the plastic crisis without taking meaningful steps to address it,” commented Polly Billington, Labour MP for East Thanet and Commons Net Zero Committee member. “While the public grows increasingly concerned about the health impacts of mountains of unrecycled waste, supermarkets continue to generate millions of tonnes of unnecessary plastic packaging each year, leaving it to our already over- stretched councils to clean-up our beaches and natural beauty spots.” The DRS is a start, she conceded, adding that we need comprehensive change from businesses to drive genuine reduction in plastic production. European farmers can produce significantly more food for less by transitioning to regenerative agriculture, compared to average conventional practices, a new landmark study launched this month by the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) shows. The proof-of-concept study is funded by EIT Food – the world’s largest agrifood innovation network . It benchmarks 78 regenerative farms in 14 countries, covering more than 7,000 hectares, against neighbouring and national average conventional farmers, with researchers saying the results demonstrate that Europe’s food security does not need to be dependent on high-input chemical practices. They add that climate resilience, food security, improved economic returns for farmers and for the whole food supply chain as a whole, are not only possible through regenerating forms of agriculture, but achievable, while also supplying the crucial foundations of climate adaptation for the whole of European society. Public demands action on plastic waste New research shows the realities of producingmore with less Key findings include that between 2020 and 2023 regenerative farmers achieved, on average, 1% lower yields while using 62% less synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and 76% less pesticides per hectare, while from 2018 to 2024, 15% higher photosynthesis, soil cover and plant diversity was recorded. “The Green Revolution can be put to the dustbin of history,” said Simon Kraemer, executive director of EARA, and lead author of the study. “The fourth agricultural revolution is here, led by farmers joining forces with nature, relearning ancient wisdom and holistic world views, combined with the newest science and autonomy-enhancing technology.” Dr Theodor Friedrich, an independent review of the study, said it shows regenerative agriculture, if correctly implemented, is more than a buzzword. “Instead, it is a pathway towards an agriculture which can feed the world and be at the same time sustainable in all three dimensions – social, environmental and economic.”