Gen Z consumption trends evolutionizing snack industry

More than 79% of the U.K.’s Generation Z snack more than once a day, making it the largest age group demanding immediate snack food, according to the latest research by brand, packaging, and innovation specialist Sun Branding Solutions.

Their research suggests that Generation Z (people born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, a larger section of society than the Baby Boomers or Millennials) are leaving school, starting at a university, or getting jobs. This group, armed with spending power (see the purchasing power of Gen Z), is influencing the convenience food market. (See nine trends shaping UK shopping.)

Sun Branding Solutions reveals that Generation Z-ers refuse to compromise on quality, service, or value just because they have an immediate need. As a result, retailers and brand owners are responding. Purchasing habits for Generation Z-ers are shifting, moving away from more traditional convenience stores to “food-to-go” outlets and coffee shops.

Generation Z-ers are demanding more varied choices. Trending upward are plant and chickpea-based snacks, vegan jerky and biltong (dried, cured meat), and paleo- and protein-based options for those Gen Z-ers. Research indicates this young group is demanding a reduced sugar intake, yet are happy to compromise between convenience and health.

Technology’s growing role

Online shopping has now been available for 22 years, with Generation Z growing up with the option. Their reliance on technology and expectations of what it can deliver have set markers high. The age group’s focus on innovation and an omnichannel approach to shopping means that they’re apt to quickly adopt technological changes. These consumers expect more from brands than ever before, demanding interaction across multiple occasions and channels to meet their needs or moods at a particular moment.