Sally Lyons-Watts, executive vice president and practice leader of client insights at IRI, has outlined six sustainable snacking trends that are poised for growth in the years ahead in a recent blog post.
The snacking trends include sustainable packaging, socially responsible certifications, in-store packaging reuse, the expansion of upcycling, edible straws and seaweed-based packaging, and an emphasis on local cause-based marketing.
Watts wrote the use of non-recyclable plastic snack packaging is on the decline, as globally companies have adjusted their strategies to include more earth-friendly materials. Examples include a shift to paper and cardboard, compostable packaging and recycling-oriented label inclusions, and edible straws and seaweed-based packaging.
Fair trade products, certified sustainable products, refillable snack dispensaries, and reusable packaging are also trending in various countries.
Other trends include using imperfect or surplus fruits and vegetables for snacks, partnering with local food banks to help lower income families, and even environmental initiatives where trees are planted with each purchase.
As Lyons-Watts noted, definitions of sustainability in the snack industry are ever-widening, along with new innovations in how these products are being more sustainably sourced, manufactured, packaged, and marketed.
“Given the premiums consumers are willing to pay for these products across many countries around the world, it’s safe to assume that the appetite for sustainable snack products will only continue to grow in the years ahead,” she concluded.