Vitamins and antioxidants in my crisps? Hang on a minute- we’re talking about snacks here- not health food. It’s time for those distinctions to blur- we’re now in the age of guilt free snacking.

Snacking between meals is something all of us do: crisps, biscuits, chocolate, you name it. The only downside is, after a few chocolate bars and that bag of crisps, our blood sugar is down low again. We feel just as tired as before, and once again, leaving the office regretting that indulgence. Well, it seems as if there is another option after all, it’s called “guilt free snacking”.

If snacks are going to be fulfilling, the indulgent characteristics still have to be satisfied. According to a new report, producers and retailers are focusing on making products that will still satisfy the consumers by making products such as confectionary and savoury snacks not only with reduced fat and sugar, but also adding functional benefits such as vitamins and antioxidants.

Apparently, 80% of both women and men in Europe and the US agreed that companies need to enhance the flavour and taste of healthy products. Snacking is a sensory-based and emotive experience and is often a response to stress.

Despite ‘snacking’ being associated with negative health connotations, it still remains an important component of consumers’ daily eating. It is therefore important to understand what influences consumer choice when it comes to choosing snacks.

This means that the producers and consumers of snacks need to focus on building trust between each other through developing products that credibly offer health benefits and at the same time meet the indulgent needs that drive snack consumption.

Also, consumers are changing their behaviour to choose healthier snacks because they are better informed and want more control over what they eat. The report shows that the growing market for healthy options is being driven by the consumers’ desire to find products that match their hectic lifestyles. Such products represent a quick fix to the dilemma of achieving a healthy diet within a time-scarce lifestyle, but without sacrificing what makes snacking so pleasurable.