#Oreotok: Social Fueling New Consumer Habits in Mondelez Research
Social media is increasingly becoming a discovery channel for consumers when it comes to their snacking habits, according to new research from Mondelez International.
The No. 20 consumer goods company partnered with The Harris Poll for its third annual State of Snacking Report, surveying more than 3,000 adults in 12 regions in October.
More than half of them (55%) said social media has inspired them to try a new snack in the past year, with Gen Z-ers at 70% and millennials at 71%. What’s more, 82% of Gen Z respondents said they enjoy food content on social media, while more than half said they talked about a food trend they saw on social media at the dinner table in the last year.
AI trend data from the survey revealed such rising trends on social media as nostalgic food, food and beverage live streams, and dessert mash-ups.
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Consumers also increasingly turning to new channels for their purchases, including direct-to-consumer, delivery apps, and online ordering for curbside or in-store pickup: 53% said they’re shopping for snacks using at least three nontraditional or emerging channels in the last year.
With this knowledge in hand, it makes sense that 80% of global respondents said they expect to buy them whenever they want, while 74% said using any channel they want. This was even higher in Asia and Latin America, according to Mondelez, which includes such brands as Oreo, belVita and Toblerone in its portfolio.
The importance of company and brand transparency continues to increase, with sustainability top of mind. Mondelez last year piloted a traceability program via a QR code and mobile app for its Triscuit brand, and 85% of respondents said they either buy or would like to buy snacks from companies that working to offset their environmental impact.
Furthermore, 78% cited low waste packaging as the No. 1 environmental impact on their food choices.
Mondelez International CEO Dirk Van de Put said the report will help inform the company’s strategy to anticipate and address consumers’ evolving tastes and preferences.
“Consumers are becoming more discerning with their snacking choices as the trend toward conscious consumption grows, and we continue to find that balanced diets now often include a little indulgence for the majority,” he noted.
