Research and Markets: Sweet & Salty Snacks Market Assessment 2009

DUBLIN--(Business Wire)--
Research and Markets
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b654ce/sweet_salty_snac) has
announced the addition of the "Sweet & Salty Snacks Market Assessment 2009"
report to their offering.

Despite the big issue in foods being healthier eating and the perception that
most salty and sweet snacks contain relatively high levels of fat, salt or
sugar, all of the snack market sectors covered in this report grew in value in
the year ending 9th August 2008. The strongest growth was achieved by cereal
bars, followed by chocolate biscuit bars and potato crisps; in the case of the
latter two sectors, this was after periods of static or declining sales.

Growth can in part be attributed to the development and promotional work carried
out by manufacturers such as Walkers and United Biscuits UK (UBUK) in salty
snacks in reducing levels of fat and salt in their crisps and other bagged
savoury snacks. It is also due to Kellogg's, Weetabix, UBUK and others with
their lower-fat and reduced-sugar brands of cereal bars. Development work has
been principally noticeable in salty snacks, where the use of new cooking oils,
baking rather than frying processes and perceived healthier raw materials in
rice and corn and wholegrain/multi-grain snacks have helped to improve their
image.

Value growth in the salty snacks market has also been due to the success of
premium potato crisps and the small premium market for crisps made from other
vegetables such as parsnip, beetroot, carrot or sweet potato. Premium crisps are
notably made by Kettle Foods and also by a number of other small companies, such
as Tyrrells and Jonathan Crisp.

There have been few such significant developments in the chocolate countline,
chocolate biscuit bar and cake bar sectors, although manufacturers have, in some
cases, been quietly reducing the size of chocolate bars (not covered in this
report) and countlines in accordance with government efforts to reduce
consumption. Most branded products within countlines, chocolate biscuit bars and
cake bars are decidedly mature and any market growth principally arises from
price increases.

The salty and sweet snacks market is also sustained by factors other than
developments towards healthier products and the rise of premium-priced brands.
These include traditional and trusted breakfast cereal brands being extended
into cereal bars, and chocolate and countline brands into chocolate biscuit bars
and cake bars. In addition, the large proportion of women in the population
having part- or full-time jobs ensures that many children have snacks in their
school lunchboxes - and many adults take snacks to work.

However, the increasing turmoil in the financial markets has led to actual and
further threatened declines in disposable income. This would be expected to
adversely affect discretionary food items such as snacks in the immediate
future. However, it has proved a benefit to the discounter grocery retailers
such as Aldi and Lidl, the small market shares of which have shown relatively
sizeable increases since the beginning of 2008.

We forecast that the market for salty snacks will grow by 7.3% in value between
the years ending August 2009 and 2013 and by 7.8% for sweet snacks. The total
market is predicted to increase by 7.5%.

Key Topics Covered:

* Executive Summary
* 1. Introduction
* 2. Strategic Overview
* 3. The Market in Detail
* 4. Advertising and Labelling
* 5. Distribution
* 6. An International Perspective
* 7. PEST Analysis
* 8. Consumer Dynamics
* 9. Manufacturers and Suppliers
* 10. The Future
* 11. Further Sources

For more information visit
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b654ce/sweet_salty_snac

Laura Wood
Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax from USA: 646-607-1907
Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716

Copyright Business Wire 2009