Most salty snacks are considered ultra-processed, which is something that 69% of Germans say they actively avoid. Despite this, salty snacks remain popular, with consumption increasing in 2025 compared to 2023. This highlights a disconnect between consumer intentions to eat healthier and their actual snacking habits, suggesting that indulgence and convenience still play a significant role in purchasing decisions. Steady market growth is expected as brands align with health-conscious trends.
The biggest challenge for the salty snack market is addressing health concerns without compromising on taste. Most Germans would prefer smaller portions of regular salty snacks over reduced-salt versions.
Salty snacks that are free from artificial flavours and made with simple, recognisable ingredients can appeal to health-conscious consumers while those that also maintain indulgence and offer variety can appeal to younger curious snackers.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Overview of current market performance and the outlook for the next five years
- Key new product development trends in the category
- Consumption of salty snacks, with an increase in 2025 compared to 2023, and Germans aged 16-34 consuming the widest varieties
- Reasons for eating salty snacks, with indulgence and moments of relaxation being key occasions
- Interest in trying salty snacks, with sweet and spicy flavours having the most appeal
- Attitudes and behaviours relating to salty snacks, with snackers using flavour for conversation starters and comfort
Market Definitions
This Report examines the German retail market for crisps, nuts and other savoury snacks. The market size includes products sold through the retail channel, including:
- chips/crisps – fried slices of potato or other vegetables, or fried or dried slices of fruits
- nuts
- baked snacks – savoury snacks prepared by baking, such as pretzels or baked chips
- popcorn (excluding that sold in cinemas)
- potato- and grain-based snacks, which include any products made from small pieces of potato, wheat, rice, corn or other base ingredient, including extruded (eg peanut flips); excludes large rice cakes
- meat snacks (such as mini meatballs, snack-sized salami, biltong)
The market size excludes unpackaged products, savoury biscuits/crispbreads/cake bars and nuts specifically marketed for use in cooking/baking. It also excludes sales via catering or foodservice establishments; however, references and comparisons to these sectors may be made where relevant.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Market size and forecast for snack food
- Volume sales of snack food are forecast for modest growth up to 2030
- Graph 1: retail volume sales of snack food, 2019-30
- Value sales of snack food are forecast to grow significantly between 2024 and 2030
- Graph 2: retail value sales of snack food, 2019-30
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Dial up the comfort factor
- Push salty snacks beyond cravings
- Evolve salty snacks to match changing tastes
- Add spice to salty snacks with uncommon combinations and unusual base ingredients
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CONSUMER
- Consumption of salty snacks
- Germans are more likely to eat salty snacks in 2025 than in 2023
- Graph 3: consumption of salty snacks in the last three months, 2023-25
- Potato slice crisps are the most popular salty snack amongst Germans
- Graph 4: consumption of salty snacks in the last three months, 2023-25
- Potato crisps dominate, but healthier options could gain ground with older Germans
- Germans aged 16-34 have the widest salty snack repertoire
- Younger snackers seek out more variety than older snackers
- Nuts are consumed most frequently in 2025
- Graph 5: frequency of eating salty snacks in the last three months, 2025
- Nuts are used as a healthy addition to the diet
- Reasons for eating salty snacks
- Indulgence drives salty snack consumption
- Concentration-boosting functionality could add to the appeal of salty snacks
- Encouraging texture exploration can help target families looking for meal-time inspirations
- Crisps satisfy cravings, while meat snacks provide satiety
- Graph 6: reasons for eating meat snacks and nuts in the last three months, 2025
- Protein and fibre claims remain underexplored…
- …as snackers seek flexibility in their eating habits
- BiFi promotes its meat snack as a pleasure to help consumers unwind
- Interest in trying salty snacks
- ‘Swicy’ flavours pique the most interest amongst category consumers
- Graph 7: interest in trying salty snacks with particular attributes, 2025
- Sweet and spicy flavours hit the sweet spot for snackers
- Premium positioning targets those in healthy financial situations
- Premiumisation could win over financially healthy Germans
- Unusual textures are limited in the salty snack category
- Salty snacks with restaurant-/takeaway-inspired flavours can target money-conscious Germans
- Attitudes and behaviours towards salty snacks
- Smaller portions are preferable to reduced salt content
- Reduced-salt versions of salty snacks still have room for improvement when it comes to taste
- Healthier salty snacks can rival the taste of regular versions
- Salty snacks with unique flavours can help boost social occasions
- Nostalgic crisps/crisp-style snacks can provide comfort to stressed-out Germans
- Social media encourages trial amongst snackers aged 16-34
- Natural flavours and local ingredients are preferred in salty snacks
- Graph 8: attitudes towards salty snacks in relation to ingredients, 2025
- Germans prefer salty snacks with natural flavours
- Germans agree there’s room for more salty snacks that use local ingredients
- Germans demand localism from their salty snacks
- Salty snacks may be seen as expendable in times of budgeting, but own-label could gain appeal
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INNOVATION
- Branded salty snacks have dominated product launch activity
- Graph 9: salty snack launches, by branded vs private-label, 2022-25
- Own-label salty snacks try for a more premium image to compete with brands
- New packaging and new varieties top salty snack launch activity
- Graph 10: salty snacks, by launch type, 2022-25
- Scope for salty snacks with less common flavours
- Graph 11: salty snack launches, by top ten flavour components, 2022-25
- Brands can inspire curiosity amongst salty snack consumers through new flavours
- ‘Swicy’ salty snacks are on-trend in 2025
- Natural claims are underrepresented in salty snack launches
- Salty snack launches typically carry a Nutri-score rating of C or below
- Graph 12: salty snack launches with a Nutri-Score label, by Nutri-score rating, 2022-25
- Average salt levels in salty snack launches are lower than in 2019
- Graph 13: salty snack launches, by avg salt (g per 100g/ml), 2017-25
- Younger snackers are more likely than older snackers to cut back due to salt intake concerns
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MARKET
- Market drivers
- Salty snacks could thrive despite Germany’s economic worries
- Graph 14: ‘The German cost of living crisis is…’, 2024 vs 2025
- Healthy lifestyles may encourage a more cautious approach to snacking
- Consumption of salt far exceeds recommended levels in Germany, providing scope for BFY options
- An ultra-processed image could hinder the appeal of salty snacks
- Salty snacks could face scrutiny over ultra-processed image
- Single-person households may shape snack trends
- Graph 15: private households by household size, 1994 vs 2004 vs 2024
- Market size
- Value and volume sales saw a slight growth between 2023 and 2024
- Graph 16: value market size for snack food, 2019-24
- Graph 17: volume market size for snack food, 2019-24
- Volume growth rises to pre-pandemic levels
- Market segmentation
- Crisps rebound in 2024 after a dip in volume sales in 2023
- Graph 18: value retail sales for snack food, by segment, 2022-24
- Graph 19: volume retail sales for snack food, by segment, 2022-24
- Snack foods picked up value and volume retail sales growth momentum in 2024
- Market forecast
- Retail volume is expected to experience steady growth, while value sales are forecast to grow substantially
- Volume sales of snack food are forecast for modest growth up to 2030
- Graph 20: retail volume sales of snack food, 2019-30
- Value sales of snack food are forecast to grow significantly between 2024 and 2030
- Graph 21: retail value sales of snack food, 2019-30
- Forecast – note on US trade disruption
- Impact of US trade disruption for the snack food market
- Market share
- Own label continues to lead in value and volume shares despite a slight dip in 2024
- Graph 22: company retail market volume shares of salty snacks, 2023-24
- Graph 23: company retail market value shares of salty snacks, 2023-24
- Own label feels the pressure from established brands
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Methodology – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market size – volume
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – volume
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