Functional variants and nut, seed and pulse products hold untapped potential for crisp and savoury snack brands. Strong consumer interest signals the permission for these treat brands to play in…
UK
Snacks
simple
UK Crisps and Savoury Snacks Market Report 2026
"Crisps and savoury snack brands have a permission to play in the better-for-you space, including in nuts, seeds and pulses, but clear signposting is crucial."
Functional variants and nut, seed and pulse products hold untapped potential for crisp and savoury snack brands. Strong consumer interest signals the permission for these treat brands to play in the better-for-you space and capitalise on, rather than just weather, healthy eating trends.
Stretched household finances have brought mixed fortunes to the category, supporting food and drinks spend through retail over that out-of-home, but seeing pricier variants face scrutiny and own-label gain share. These pressures will continue in 2026. As they begin to lift in later years, this will open up trading up opportunities and health will become more front of mind.
The latter poses both a threat and an opportunity for the category. Variants deemed less health will face growing scrutiny, however, the strong consumer interest in better-for-you variants, including from crisp and crisp-style snack brands, signals scope for the market to lean into this trend.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
Performance of the market, with volumes ebbing in 2025
Key trends in recent launch activity and product development opportunities
Usage of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts and core users
The scope for crisps and savoury snacks to play in the better-for-you space
Consumer desire for guidance on healthier choices in the category
The popularity of eating crisps/crisp-style snacks with dips and related opportunities
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What you need to know
Outlook for crisps, savoury snacks and nuts
Opportunities
Mine interest in health benefits from savoury snacks
Guide shoppers to healthy options
Capitalise on dips’ popularity
THE MARKET
Snapshot – market size and forecast
Weak consumer confidence holds mixed fortunes for crisps, savoury snacks and nuts
Graph 1: financial wellbeing and confidence indices, 2019-26
Crisps inflation climbs in 2025
Graph 2: consumer price inflation for crisps, dried fruit and nuts, and all food, 2022-25
Healthy eating efforts bring opportunities and threats to crisps, snacks and nuts
Restrictions on HFSS food and drink limit visibility
Market size and forecast
Market size and forecast of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts
Graph 3: retail volume sales of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts, 2019-30
Walkers retains top position in crisps and savoury snacks
Graph 4: leading brands’ sales in the crisps and savoury snacks retail segment, by value, 2022/23-2024/25
Walkers and Pringles lose, Tyrrells and Hula Hoops gain
Private label gains share in popcorn
Graph 5: leading brands’ sales in the popcorn retail segment, by value, 2022/23-2024/25
KP retains top position in nuts
Graph 6: leading brands’ sales in the nuts retail segment, by value, 2022/23-2024/25
THE CONSUMER
Crisps and savoury snacks enjoy near-universal usage
96% eat crisps and savoury snacks
Graph 7: types of crisps/savoury snacks eaten in the last three months, 2020-25
Under-45s are core users of crisps and savoury snacks
Graph 8: eating of different types of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts three or more times a week, by age, 2025
Highlight health benefits
Explore health benefits in crisps/savoury snacks
Functional health benefits hold untapped potential in crisps and savoury snacks
High-protein base ingredients warrant further focus
Nuts, seeds and pulses: an opportunity for established crisps brands
Shoppers want guidance on health
Shoppers seek clearer in-store guidance for healthier savoury snacks
Help shoppers find healthy crisps and savoury snacks
Apps and loyalty schemes provide a platform for healthy swap tips
Position healthier variants alongside core ranges
Dips hold untapped potential
Strong dip usage signals untapped opportunity
Tap consumers’ love of dips
Encourage crisp-and-dip pairing through cross-merchandising
PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING
Big brands enter nuts and corn, premium nuts gain share
Big brands enter nuts, premium gains share
Hot and spicy trend continues to bring new products and collaborations
Tie-ups drive limited editions and on-pack promotions
Walkers refreshes packaging and makes most core variants HFSS-compliant
Walkers spotlights alcohol-free snacks for January 2025
APPENDIX
Report scope
The market
Forecast methodology
Forecast methodology – fan chart
Market size and forecast of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts (volume fanchart)
Graph 9: retail volume sales of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts, 2019-30
Market size and forecast of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts (value)
Market size and forecast of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts (volume)
Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
Market forecast and prediction intervals (volume)
Sales of crisps, savoury snacks and nuts, by segment
Market share – crisps and savoury snacks brands (value)
Market share – crisps and savoury snacks brands (volume)
Market share – crisps and savoury snacks manufacturers (value)
Market share – crisps and savoury snacks manufacturers (volume)
Market share – nuts brands (value)
Market share – nuts brands (volume)
Market share – nuts manufacturers (value)
Market share – nuts manufacturers (volume)
Market share – popcorn brands (value)
Market share – popcorn brands (volume)
Market share – popcorn manufacturers (value)
Market share – popcorn manufacturers (volume)
Trends in the population age structure
The consumer
Consumer research questions
Consumer research methodology – EMEA
UK generation groups
Other data source methodologies
Mintel Spark
Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Abbreviations
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