Sweet biscuits not all they were cracked up to be

So there is an ad on TV right now about Australia’s most popular brand of biscuits. Some of the products made by this company are what are known as “icon” products because they are likely to be in most pantries or are known by nearly everyone. Tim Tams are such a product and are both well known and very loved by nearly everyone.

This ad is timely, as recent research by Roy Morgan Research shows that we Aussies are eating less sweet biscuits.

26.3 percent of Australians over 14 were eating sweet biscuits weekly in 2011, this number has decreased significantly in the latest research.

There has also been a decrease in savoury biscuit consumption since 2011, although only by less than two percent.

Interestingly, it is those between 14 and 17, and those over 65 who are the biggest sweet biscuit consumers.

Over 50 percent of those over 65 are eating sweet biscuits each week.

Another interesting finding is that more than half of those who eat sweet biscuits do not eat savoury ones. But the same does not apply to those who eat savoury biscuits, as nearly 60 percent partake of sweet biscuits as well.

The current TV ad not only shows sweet but savoury biscuits and is designed to apply to everyone. This manufacturer and others are now faced with a dilemma, how to market to two targets groups, the 14-17s and the over 65s, which have little in common – except liking sweet biscuits.

 Andrew Price, General Manager of Consumer Products at Roy Morgan Research said; “As outlined above, teenagers and the 65+ demographic are more likely than other age groups to eat savoury and sweet biscuits, which presents an interesting challenge for marketers! The plot thickens when we look at the bigger snack picture, and find that young Aussies aged 14-17 are more likely than any other age group to eat just about every snack category measured by Roy Morgan Research, while the older bracket tends to be below average for most snacks. So not only do these two groups sit at opposite ends of the age spectrum, they also have markedly different snacking habits – yet are somehow united by their penchant for biscuits. 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.”

 Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), October 2014 – September 2015 (n=15,668).  *NB: sweet biscuits include chocolate coated biscuits, cream/jam filled and plain (sweet).