As Gen Z enters adulthood, we are seeing this group reduce their snacking behavior in a similar trend as what happened with millennials around the same life stages. Conversely, as millennials shift into their next life stage, their snacking purchase frequency is increasing. With price sensitivity, it is important for brands to consider how to ensure their products are a “need-to-have” instead of a “nice-to-have,” especially as millennials and Gen Z form habits with their routine purchases. It is also important to consider assortment and variety, especially in regard to flavor. Gen Z and millennials favor bolder flavors, including spicy food.

Circana’s National Eating Trends data has tracked a significant increase in GLP-1 users year over year, which could rise more in the future if GLP-1 medications are covered by insurance for weight management. This audience segment has unique needs and goals when shopping across categories. They are more likely to look for foods that are aligned with their health goals while also considering products that can help offset potential side effects of medication (for example, sugar-free gum for bad breath). Outside of specifically GLP-1 users, there are many groups interested in healthy options as a part of other diet programs, like Keto, or eating habits like intermittent fasting.

While survey data has shown that consumer decisions may be less driven by attributes like sustainability, especially amidst price uncertainty, Circana’s shopping data has shown that people are still shopping for sustainable brands. Consumers will shop for brands that represent important attributes like sustainability as long as the price fits into their ability to spend. Regardless, understanding how every attribute of your brand aligns and is prioritized by consumers is essential to finding opportunities, especially as consumers may be more willing to change brands to reflect their budgets.