The crisps, snacks and nuts category is experiencing remarkable momentum, establishing itself as a powerhouse within the UK convenience retail landscape. With the sector now worth almost £5.3 billion [NielsenIQ, MAT 14.06.25], industry leaders are reporting sustained growth across both value and volume sales, presenting significant opportunities for independent retailers to capitalise on evolving consumer demand.
“CSN is a dynamic, exciting and growing category, outpacing the growth of other impulse sectors,” explains Stuart Graham, Head of Convenience and Impulse at KP Snacks. “It represents a massive opportunity for retailers to grow sales and drive footfall, by continuing to focus on key consumption and shopper trends.”
The scale of opportunity becomes clear when examining the broader savoury snacking landscape. Ed Merrett, Wholesale Controller at PepsiCo, reveals that savoury snacking remains hugely popular among shoppers, with 99 per cent of people in Britain consuming them and 50 per cent purchasing savoury snacks from convenience outlets [Kantar, 52w/e 29.12.24]. Across nearly 38,000 independent and symbol group stores trading in Britain, bagged savoury snacks has emerged as “the number one fastest growing impulse category.”
This growth translates into substantial financial impact, with savoury snacks serving as “a crucial sales driver for the impulse channel, worth a whopping £6bn a year and growing at +3.3 per cent” [NielsenIQ, MAT 11.01.25]. However, Merrett identifies a significant untapped potential: “We have seen that they could be sitting on an average on £17,800 worth of additional savoury snack sales in their store every year.”
The key to unlocking this potential lies in strategic category management. PepsiCo's recent research suggests that “executing the category in the correct way is more crucial than ever, holding the potential to drive a sales uplift of an estimated 16 per cent.” Their Max Your Snacks report identifies five core principles: right space, right range, right layout, right points of interruption, and right campaign and new product visibility.
Photo: iStock
Consumer behaviour patterns reveal a preference for familiarity balanced with innovation. “Shoppers continue to value brands they know and love within this category – we're seeing people not only seek out familiar, much-loved brands but their favourite flavours too,” notes Merrett. “NPD also has a really important role in driving interest and excitement within the category - but the key to success is supplementing this with a strong core that will drive repeat sales.”
This balance between established favourites and exciting innovations is evident across the category. At KP Snacks, Graham highlights their “broad portfolio of snack products, offering something for all consumer need states, occasions, and budgets,” including “some of the nation's biggest snack brands, with Number 1 brands in many segments from Hula Hoops and McCoy's to Butterkist and KP Nuts.”
Premium and artisanal offerings are also thriving. Tash Jones, Commercial Director at Fairfields Farm, reports strong performance with their “core range of signature crisp flavours as popular as ever, along with limited edition flavours such as Chorizo and Red Wine which have been flying off the shelves and meeting the demand for international flavour profiles.” The company has responded to this success by increasing production capacity with a new fryer, “boosting production by 40 per cent alongside a new automated weighing and bagging system.”
Emerging subcategories present additional growth opportunities. The pretzel segment exemplifies this trend, with Blanca Cerro, Growth Marketing Lead at Campbells, reporting that “the pretzel category continues to perform strongly, driven by demand for bold flavours and more diverse sizes options.”
The UK pretzel market is currently worth £70 million and growing at 21 per cent year-on-year, with unit sales up 18 per cent [NielsenIQ, 52w/e May 2025]. Snyder’s of Hanover, the leading pretzel brand in the US, is now bringing its success to the UK with the launch of four SKUs. “Pretzel Pieces are set to invigorate the category, attract new consumers, and meet demand across multiple snacking occasions,” Cerro predicts.
Flavour innovation
Taste remains the fundamental driver of consumer choice in the savoury snacking category. “Flavour is the number one influence on crisp purchase decisions, driving choice on 53 per cent of all occasions,” explains Merrett [PEP Bolt Insights 2024]. This statistic underscores why retailers must balance their core range of trusted favourites with innovative new products that encourage experimentation.
To cater to this demand, PepsiCo has launched a number of taste-led NPD over the last year, including Cheetos Original Cheese and Quavers Red Leicester.
The trend towards bolder, more adventurous flavours is particularly pronounced. “Big, bold flavours continue to be a major trend in 2025. Consumers are increasingly drawn to rare and unexpected flavour combinations, often inspired by global cuisines and international flavour profiles,” notes Jones.
Cheetos brings USA-inspired flavour to UK www.asiantrader.biz
This appetite for novelty extends beyond traditional crisp flavours into previously plain categories, with Cerro observing that “consumers are seeking bolder flavours and more variety in savoury snacks, driving growth in flavoured pretzels.” Snyder’s of Hanover’s Pretzel Pieces bring standout American-style flavours - Cheddar Cheese, Honey Mustard & Onion, Hot Buffalo Wing, and Jalapeño - in a convenient 110g pack.
The spice trend deserves particular attention from retailers. “We are seeing an increased demand for spicier snacks within the Savoury Snacking category, with the hot and spicy flavour segment growing at 8.7 per cent year-on-year,” reveals Merrett. This isn't merely a short-term fad – PepsiCo's Extra Flamin' Hot range has proven its staying power as “the top spicy innovation within the last three years,” selling “over 4.8 million packs across 2024 within the impulse channel.”
Graham confirms this trend extends beyond spice: “We are seeing a resurgence in the popularity of bold flavours in CSN. Spicy flavours continue to perform, representing the third-largest flavour partition in the category. The demand for meaty flavours is also on the rise.”
The Food-to-Go revolution
Perhaps the most significant structural shift in the category is the explosive growth of food-to-go occasions. “Food-to-Go missions now account for 16 per cent of the Top 10 missions in the Convenience channel [Lumina Intelligence, Q4 2021 to Q4 2024], catering to today's fast-paced, on-the-go society as consumers look for quick, affordable meals which suit their routines and budgets,” Graham explains.
This trend has particular implications for product formats and pricing strategies. Price-marked packs (PMPs) have become essential for capturing food-to-go purchases. “PMPs remain key to the Food-to-Go mission, and our PMP portfolio is strong, broader than ever before and growing ahead of the overall category,” Graham confirms, with KP Snacks products including Hula Hoops Big Hoops BBQ Beef, McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak, Nik Naks Nice N Spicy and Big Hoops Salted featuring in the top 10 best-selling large PMP SKUS.
New Hot 'n' Spicy McCoy's
The food-to-go trend isn't limited to savoury snacks. Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelēz International, reports: “We've recently seen a 6 per cent year-on-year increase in on-the-go missions within healthier biscuits, with shoppers increasingly looking for healthier snacks while out and about.”
She says the breakfast and brunch snacking options that can be taken out-of-home for easy and convenient on-the-go consumption will continue to grow this year, and as such, “any retail range needs to cover both take-home and on-the-go missions to meet all potential need states and occasions, while also delivering on taste and healthier biscuit options.”
The Big Night In phenomenon
Whilst food-to-go drives single-serve sales, the counter-trend of consumers staying home more frequently is creating substantial opportunities in sharing formats. “When not on the go, people are indulging in snacks with family and friends at home. At-home occasions drive the growth of Sharing, the largest segment in CSN worth £2bn and growing at +2.7 per cent MAT,” Graham notes.
Matt Smith, Marketing Director for Tayto UK, emphasises how this trend creates opportunities for independent retailers: “Consumers are swapping a night out for a night in - which creates a huge opportunity for independent retailers.” This shift has particular relevance for traditional pub snacks, with Smith revealing that “scratchings have been voted Britain's favourite pub snack. Most people are surprised to hear that more scratchings are sold in shops than in pubs.”
Mr. Porky is the leading brand in the segment, with the best-selling Original Scratchings in its distinctive gold packaging, and its Crispy Strips and Puffs variants have all the flavour of scratchings with a crispier bite for a lighter eat, “helping bring new consumers into the category,” Smith adds.
The sharing occasion extends across multiple product categories within the broader snacks segment. Graham highlights how “covering a broad range of snacking options, including nuts, popcorn and pretzels, our portfolio taps into this trend to create value and generate demand. Already synonymous with the movie experience, the Popcorn segment has huge potential for Big Night In occasions and Butterkist is the UK's number one popcorn brand and nearly twice the size of the nearest branded competitor.”
Value consciousness and pricing strategy
Despite innovation and premiumisation trends, value remains paramount for consumers facing continued budget pressure. Smith provides stark evidence of this: “Overall, Convenience is facing the challenge of reduced footfall as consumers look to the supermarkets for value, as budgets remain squeezed.”
However, the right pricing strategy can drive success even in challenging conditions. “Sharing PMPs remain the core of the category – and a real favourite when it comes to BNI and home entertaining. This main driver of category growth has slowed as many brands moved above £1. In contrast, having remained at £1, Golden Wonder continues to outperform total snacks, showing how important 'value' is in a market where household budgets remain under pressure,” Smith explains.
The results speak for themselves. Despite the relatively poor performance of crisps, Golden Wonder has seen its successful £1 offer working well with sales up 22 per cent YoY.
Golden Wonder-ful new look that packs more punch
“We know how important the £1 price-point is to both consumers and retailers. By sticking to this key price-point we have continued to deliver great tasting, great value snacks with strong retailer margins,” Smith explains.
The agility of the convenience channel allows for innovative activation campaigns that can drive both awareness and sales. PepsiCo's launch of Doritos Dinamita demonstrates this potential, with Merrett describing how “from full window wraps to floor stickers, branded prize wheels and bollard covers, retailers went all-out with their bespoke activations, helping us to raise awareness of the launch, actively engaging shoppers and driving trial and purchase.”
Independent retailer Kay Patel of Best-One Global Food and Wine, London, exemplifies how retailers can capitalise on these opportunities. “Spicy flavours are on trend at the moment,” he says. “They're attracting a lot of younger shoppers that are seeing these flavours online through social media. We've done really well with these flavours in the past and PepsiCo bringing out Dinamita will only add to that.”
Strategic ranging
Leading brands in the category are stepping up their support for independent retailers, offering sophisticated ranging advice, merchandising strategies and partnership programmes designed to unlock significant sales growth. With the category's proven potential for driving footfall and impulse purchases, manufacturers are providing increasingly tailored solutions to help convenience stores maximise their investment in this lucrative sector.
KP Snacks has established itself as a category leader through its comprehensive '25 to Thrive' programme, which provides impartial ranging advice covering the essential SKUs proven to drive sales. Graham explains: “Our impartial ranging advice provides a core recommendation of the 25 must-stock CSNP SKUs proven to drive sales, alongside valuable insights on trends and tips.”
The programme's effectiveness has been demonstrated through real-world implementation, with participating retailers achieving remarkable results. “Last year, we worked with independent retailers to put our '25 to Thrive' advice into practice. The participating retailers reported a marked uplift in their Bagged Snacks sales, achieving an average growth of 15.3 per cent after implementing the '25 to Thrive' advice,” Graham reports.
This success is underpinned by KP Snacks' unique retailer forum, 'KP SnacKPartners', which Graham describes as a platform for “developing relationships with retailers” and to “tap into their feedback and insight to deliver the right products, promotions and formats.” The approach is data-driven, recognising that “shoppers are excited and engaged by new products, with 63 per cent of CSN shoppers saying they like to try new things.”
Making it simple to shop
Effective merchandising strategy goes far beyond basic shelf placement, according to Smith, of Tayto UK, who suggests a mission-based approach. “The key to effective merchandising is... make it simple to shop!” Smith advocates. “Given the importance of savoury snacks as an impulse purchase and footfall driver, independent retailers should make sure that snacks are highly visible on shoppers' main route to the till.”
Understanding consumer missions becomes crucial for maximising cross-category sales opportunities. Smith recommends strategic placement: “Think about missions... site snacks with other categories on the same mission to increase basket size. For example, place sharing snacks near BWS to capture the Big Night In mission and impulse snacks near chiller units with sandwiches and cans to capture the lunchtime 'grab & go'.”
For price-sensitive consumers, Smith advocates price-point merchandising, particularly important “where PMP snacks account for the majority of snacks sales, merchandising by price-point makes it easier to shop.” He emphasises that “sharing PMPs account for almost two thirds of sales and so, having a strong range of both £1 and £1.25 PMPs is essential - but group each pricepoint together to make it easier to shop the fixture quickly.”
Niche categories
Specialised segments within the category offer unique merchandising opportunities. Pork scratchings represent a particularly compelling case study, with Smith noting their distinctive consumption pattern: “Unlike other savoury snacks, scratchings are not 'cupboard fill' and are much more likely to be an impulse purchase and consumed on the day of purchase - with 65 per cent eaten on the day of purchase vs less than 40 per cent for other savoury snacks.”
This immediacy creates specific merchandising opportunities. “The unique salty crunch of pork scratchings goes perfectly with a beer (and many other drinks) and so siting them next to BWS is a great way to capture incremental impulse sales when people are shopping for their drinks,” Smith explains. “With a Big Night In, consumers are looking to recreate the pub experience at home. Scratchings are the perfect partner to a drink and so, should be displayed with BWS and soft drinks as well as with crisps and snacks.”
Premium positioning
The emergence of premium snacking segments requires careful positioning strategies. Cerro, of Campbells, highlights the importance of strategic placement for premium products: “Snyder's of Hanover recommends positioning Pretzel Pieces within the premium snacking area to align with key snacking occasions and highlight their value for money. This placement helps drive visibility and encourages impulse purchases.”
Consumer appetite for exploration drives success in premium segments. “Consumers love to explore new products, particularly with exciting flavours,” Cerro notes. “Giving consumers the choice via the Snyder's of Hanover's range of Pretzel Pieces is a great way to help this exploration in store.”
Snyder’s Jalapeño Pretzel Pieces pack
Effective brand presentation extends beyond product placement to encompass storytelling and visual merchandising. Fairfields Farm’s Jones highlights the importance of brand narrative: “A strong shelf presence is key for making the most of a brand. At Fairfields Farm we highlight our high-quality British made crisps, our brand story, and include key call-outs such as 'vegan and gluten-free' with eye-catching point of sale displays, allowing retailers to drive impulse purchasing and repeat business.”
Format flexibility enables broader store integration, with Jones noting: “Our bags are available in single or share bags, giving the option to display in different areas around a store, whether it's within a meal deal - displayed alongside complimentary products or down the general snacking aisle.”
Trusted brands in uncertain times
The category's resilience reflects consumers' continued demand for familiar comforts during economic uncertainty. Nash, of Mondelēz International, observes: “Despite economic uncertainties putting pressure on household budgets, consumers are still looking for treats from trusted brands, so the biscuits category is incredibly important for the convenience sector.”
Success requires ongoing adaptation to market dynamics. Nash advises retailers to “ensure they stay on top of best-in-class innovation and tap into key seasonal moments to see sales success throughout the second half of 2025 and beyond.”
NPDs: Driving category growth
The crisps, snacks and nuts sector is experiencing a wave of innovative product launches designed to capitalise on emerging consumer trends and drive category expansion. From flavour innovation to packaging refreshes, major brands are investing heavily in new product development backed by substantial marketing campaigns to boost consumer demand and support retailers' growth ambitions.
Leading the charge is PepsiCo with the launch of “That's Nuts,” a groundbreaking range that combines Britain's favourite crisp flavours with coated peanuts. “We launched a new range of coated peanuts inspired by some our most renowned snack brands, helping retailers tap into the growing opportunity in nuts,” explains Merrett.
The innovation addresses a key market gap, as Merrett notes: “The segment has seen strong growth in recent years, but there is headroom to drive this further, as some shoppers perceive existing nuts products to be bland and boring.” The That's Nuts line-up features flavours including Walkers Salt & Vinegar and Smoky Bacon, Doritos Chilli Heatwave and Flamin' Hot, Wotsits Really Cheesy and Walkers MAX Paprika.
With pricing positioned at a base RRP of £2.75 per 160g and £1.75 for promotions and 40g SKUs at an RRP of £1.00, the range offers flexibility across different price points. Significantly, “the launch is set for a starring role in PepsiCo's 2025 festive campaign later in the year,” promising substantial marketing support to drive consumer awareness and trial.
KP Snacks has focused on both contemporary trends and nostalgic appeal with its recent launches. “Launched earlier this year, our new McCoy's Hot & Spicy flavour, available in a £1.25 PMP and Grab Bag, taps into both food to go and flavour trends, delivering the perfect blend of spice and seasoning,” reports Graham.
The company's innovation pipeline continued with “Nik Naks Tangy 'N' Cheesy, a new flavour rolling out in both a 45g Grab Bag (RRP £1.15) and £1.25 PMP format” launched in April. “The launch combines Nik Naks' iconic texture with a traditional cheese flavour,” Graham explains.
Perhaps most notable is the return of a beloved classic, as KP Snacks brought back the Discos Pickled Onion flavour in July, available in a £1.35 PMP (70g) format after being absent from shelves since 2005. This relaunch demonstrates the power of nostalgia marketing, with Graham noting it “tapped into consumer appetite for nostalgia with its sharp, zingy flavour while capitalising on the strength of PMPs in the CSN category.”
Tayto UK's Golden Wonder brand is undergoing its most significant transformation in a decade with a comprehensive packaging refresh and flavour expansion. The rebrand celebrates the brand's heritage while modernising its appeal. “It's been over 75 wonderful years since Golden Wonder began in Edinburgh in 1947, when local baker William Alexander fried his first batch of crisps,” Smith explains, highlighting the brand's pioneering history including “being the first to launch Ready Salted in 1961 and the UK's first Cheese & Onion flavour in 1962.”
The design refresh “brings to life the brand's 'More Punch Per Crunch' message, with eye-catching packs that shout flavour and crunch from the shelf” and “will roll out across impulse, multipacks, and £1 PMP sharing formats, giving standout shelf presence across all channels.”
Accompanying the visual transformation are two bold new flavours. Salt & Chilli Chicken addresses “the growing demand for spicier, more adventurous snacks” and is inspired by the Chinese takeaway favourite. Meanwhile, Chip Shop Curry returns permanently after Golden Wonder invited fans to vote on a returning flavour in 2022, with this variant winning “hands down.”
The investment in marketing is substantial, with Smith confirming: “The refreshed range will be supported by a significant consumer marketing push including radio, YouTube and Social Media advertising from August to November. And a big splash across trade press!”
The innovation trend extends beyond traditional crisps into premium segments. Fairfields Farm is expanding its artisanal offering with their new Chorizo & Red Wine flavour, just in time for summer. “It's a rich, bold addition to the Fairfields Farm range, featuring a paprika kick balanced by subtle, fruity red wine undertones,” describes Jones.
Looking ahead, the company will be launching a festive flavour for Christmas 2025: Honey Roasted Chestnut & Sage.
In the pretzel category, Campbells is addressing the demand for flavoured options with Snyder's of Hanover's Pretzel Pieces. “These products respond directly to growing consumer demand for flavour innovation in the pretzel category and offer retailers a way to drive incremental sales and attract new shoppers,” explains Cerro.
Available in four bold flavours - Cheddar Cheese, Honey Mustard & Onion, Hot Buffalo Wing, and Jalapeño, the launch is supported by “an extensive in-store marketing programme” including “impactful point-of-sale materials, sampling initiatives, and secondary placements to maximise visibility and encourage impulse purchases.”
Channel dynamics
The consensus among industry experts is optimistic, albeit with acknowledgement of ongoing challenges. Graham summarises the outlook: “The Crisps, Snacks & Nuts category is thriving, driven by key trends in convenience, bold flavours, and sharing occasions. Food-to-go and at-home occasions are an essential part of category growth, with innovation and promotions continuing to drive category momentum and shopper appeal.”
The premiumisation of traditionally plain categories appears set to continue, with Cerro noting that “the trend toward flavoured, premium snacking is set to continue over the next year.”
For convenience retailers, success in the crisps, snacks and nuts category requires a nuanced approach: maintaining strong core ranges of trusted favourites whilst embracing innovation, balancing single-serve convenience with sharing formats, and ensuring pricing strategies reflect consumers' continued value consciousness. Those who master this balance will find themselves well-positioned to capitalise on a category that, despite broader retail challenges, continues to demonstrate its importance as both a destination and impulse purchase driver.