Shopper Digest: The Shift in Snacking Habits

Snacking has always been a staple in our daily lives—quick, tasty, and comforting. But as health awareness grows, consumers could be rethinking their choices, making them less ideal for frequent consumption.

Adding to this complexity, not all products in this space are created equal. Some are closer to their natural form, while others are more processed. This raises an important question: which type of snack are shoppers gravitating toward today, and why?

Our shopper panel insights reveal a fascinating shift in behavior:

• Segment A (historically dominant) is slowing down in terms of spending, basket size, and shopping trips. However, it continues to attract new shoppers, which means interest in the category hasn’t disappeared and potentially this is the point where shoppers enter the category. The real change lies in how people buy / consume - less frequent purchase, smaller quantities every time they buy the segment, and more selective choices.
• Segment B, in contrast, is showing stronger resilience. While it also faced some decline in trips and basket size, recent signs of recovery paired with value growth suggest it’s becoming the preferred choice for many shoppers. This segment appears to offer greater potential for future growth.
• Switching patterns confirm this trend: shoppers are moving from Segment A to Segment B. What’s interesting is that this isn’t limited to big players—smaller brands are experiencing the same too. This indicates a broad-based appeal rather than a niche shift.

In summary, the snacking landscape is evolving. The key question now is how brands can continue to meet this demand. Could the opportunity lie within innovation, positioning, or with a better promotional strategies and offerings?

First, let’s find out where your growth (or decline) is coming from—whether through new shoppers, increased frequency, or switching—is critical for making the right moves.

Contact us to explore how shopper panel data can help you identify growth opportunities and stay ahead of the changing consumer behaviours.

In Worldpanel, we conduct Source of Value/Volume Change to understand movements of a brand. This is often used to understand the growth or decline, whether it’s being driven by being added to baskets, being bought more or being switched towards other players in the market. Through this, we are able to support in developing strategic recommendations on how we can further grow.

Source:  P4 2025, Malaysia Peninsular Household Panel, Worldpanel by Numerator