16-34s and parents lead on using sweet/nut spreads in ways other than for spreading on bread/toast. If the current young cohorts and children retain their wide repertoire of occasions as they age, these spreads should become less reliant on bread over time. This emphasises the importance for individual brands in these segments of ensuring they are seen as relevant for other uses.
Bread is forecast to see volume sales fall going forward. This makes a heavy dependence on use with bread a threat to sweet & nut spreads. Honey offers learnings here, leading among the main sweet/nut spreads in other uses. Its appeal for other uses partly reflects runny honey being easy to drizzle onto, or stir into, other foods or drinks. Exploring ‘runny’ and ‘squeezy’ formats should similarly help jams/conserves and peanut butters to boost their relevance across a wider range of occasions.
Variety holds strong potential for driving engagement in the category, with keen interest in limited edition/seasonal products, those inspired by other treats, and chocolate spreads with added chocolate/biscuit pieces.
Increasing usage beyond bread is key for growth. More pairing ideas, squeezable formats, limited edition/seasonal flavours and added protein can support sales.
Richard Caines, Principal Analyst, UK Food & Drink Research
This report covers all sweet spreads that can be used to spread on bread and toast for example, but can be used in many different ways, and includes:
Sales through foodservice and catering outlets such as cafés, restaurants and canteens are excluded..
Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of His Majesty’s Stationery Office and the King’s Printer for Scotland.
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