So what is Australia’s favourite snack?

With the massive increase in “healthy” snacks out there, you would be forgiven for thinking that when we snack we are doing it with healthy food.

Well the latest research from Roy Morgan Research shows that the Potato Chip remains as the undisputed king of the snacks. They have been top of the pile for five years.

The research shows that 8.2 million of us Aussies eat potato chips weekly. This is an increase of one percent on last year.

Of course there are now a huge number of varieties from the generic brand basic chip all the way up to the gourmet amazing flavours.

The results of this research showing that 62 percent of those 8.2 million also drink some form of soft drink in the same week will be frightening, especially to those who have recently been calling for a tax on soft drinks. This call has been made as a response to the increasing obesity rate in this country. This research tends to indicate that such a call may be a good idea.

It is not just chips which seem to encourage soft drink consumption but the other salty snacks as well, according to this research.

The General Manager of Consumer Products at Roy Morgan Research, Andrew Price, said; “The news that potato crisps are still Australia’s favourite snack, eaten by more than 8 million people in an average seven days, can be seen as somewhat concerning from a health perspective – especially when sugary soft drinks are also part of the dietary equation.”

Interestingly, whilst snack manufacturers have tried to address the health issues, these products have not proven popular.

Andrew Price said; “In fact, our findings show that people who snack on crisps, corn chips and the like are less likely than the average Aussie to agree with health statements such as ‘I always think of the number of calories in the food I’m eating’, ‘A low-fat diet is a way of life for me’ and ‘I restrict how much I eat of fattening foods’. Not surprisingly, given this relaxed attitude to health issues, it’s young men and women under 25 who tend to be the most avid consumers of these salty snacks. Consumption only really drops off among the over-50s, an age when one’s health inevitably becomes more of a preoccupation.”

So how does a company try to do the right thing whilst competing with the public’s demand for a product which is contrary to that? There is only one way, by paying close attention to it’s market and the trends occurring.