Australians are munching on sweet biscuits less than before, revealed Roy Morgan Research.
According to the research firm’s latest findings, Australians 14+ who eat sweet biscuits in any given seven-day period is on the decline – but the proportion remains substantially higher than the country’s savoury biscuit-eaters.
In 2015, 42.4 per cent of Aussies reported eating at least one sweet biscuit in an average seven days, down from 46.3 per cent in 2011.
Andrew Price, GM for consumer products, Roy Morgan Research, said “As the popularity of sweet biscuits declines, brands need to consider which sectors of the population are their best bet for continued (and future) consumption, and target them accordingly.”
“Of course, despite the decline in consumption, sweet biscuits remain one of the country’s most popular snacks. However, several other snack categories – from natural yoghurt to nuts, icy poles to corn chips – are gaining in popularity, so it is crucial for biscuit brands to do what they can to enhance their competitiveness now.”
Consumption of savoury biscuits/crackers remained relatively stable at 32.4 per cent (a fraction less than 2011, when it was 33.1per cent). Teenagers aged 14-17 and older Australians aged 65+ are the nation’s most avid biscuit-eaters.
The 65+ demographic is more likely to eat sweet biscuits than any other age group, with more than half (51.6 per cent) snacking on them in an average seven days, ahead of under-18s (46.5 per cent). Under-18s turn the tables on their elders for savoury biscuit-eating, but only just — 36.3 per cent vs 36.2 per cent.
Not only is sweet more popular than savoury among Australian biscuit-eaters, but people who snack on sweet biscuits are more likely to eat only sweet biscuits than savoury biscuit-eaters are to stick exclusively to savoury. Roy Morgan notes that ‘sweet biscuits’ in its research include chocolate coated biscuits, cream/jam filled and plain (sweet).
Almost 55 per cent of Aussies who eat sweet biscuits in an average seven days only eat sweet biscuits, compared with the 40.5 per cent of savoury biscuit/ cracker eaters who limit themselves to savoury.
