The biscuits market is performing well in the c-store sector. Aidan Fortune examines how consumers’ desire for inexpensive treats is boosting sales

Whether they’re dunked in a cup of tea, part of a rushed breakfast on the go, or simply munched as a treat, most people find it difficult to say no to biscuits, and convenience store retailers are reaping the benefits of this.

Sales of biscuits through the convenience store channel grew 2.7% compared with 2009 (IRI MAT January 22, 2011) and while the level of growth has slowed somewhat (5.9% growth in 2009) the market is still going strong. Burton’s Foods category and activation controller Simon Negus believes that this continued growth has come from an increase in popularity of more indulgent, eat-at-home treats.

“Due to the difficult economic times, shoppers are increasingly looking for treats to enjoy in the home that replace more expensive eating out occasions,” says Fox’s category activation manager Frances Kitson. “However, consumers want these at-home treats to be something particularly indulgent, hence the growth we have seen in Grown Up Indulgence biscuit brands”.

She points out that the Grown Up Indulgence and Everyday Treat sectors are up 25% and 1.3% respectively. “Fox’s Viennese Melts and Fox’s Half Coated Chunkie Cookies are the number one and number two best-performing SKUs in the Grown Up Indulgence sector. Moreover, Fox’s Biscuits’ Grown Up Indulgence brands experienced the strongest MAT value change of all the Fox’s categories (Nielsen ScanTrack 52 weeks ending January 22, 2011).”


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