Bars continue to be a consistent staple in the American diet: 83% have purchased one in the past three months, an increase from last year. Though snack bars are the most popular type of bar, shifts in consumer preferences have helped nutrition and performance bars grow in popularity, mainly led by an increased focus on protein and fiber. The category overall is a steady one, poised for modest growth and seen as a go-to option for health, especially for young consumers.
While flavors continue to be important to consumers, ingredients are beginning to step into the spotlight. Benefit-rich bars with innovative formulations have thrived off the back of a culture obsessed with macronutrients. The vast majority of consumers are willing to pay for benefits in bars, and opportunity exists for brands to optimize their formulations to deliver the ideal nutritional content to consumers.
Protein is a mainstay in many types of bars, but fiber is not. Consumers not only yearn for more products with fiber, but more fiber per bar. Additionally, packaging that clearly communicates key benefits will help build health trust with consumers. As snacking continues to evolve with factors like GLP-1 usage and a focus on nutrition, bars may benefit from being inherently nutrient-dense and versatile.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
Retail snack, performance, and nutrition bar sales and market share trends
Reported purchase of snacks, nutrition, and performance bars
Frequency of snacking and changes over time
Benefits willing to pay more for in snack, nutrition, and performance bars
Factors encouraging new snack, nutrition, and performance bar trial
Snack, nutrition, and performance bar barriers and frustrations
Desired amounts of calories, protein, fiber, and sugar in bars
Attitudes toward snack, nutrition, and performance bars
Trends in launch activity for snack, nutrition, and performance bars, and opportunities for further innovation
Report Attributes
Details
Published Date
January 2026
Report Author
Jack Doggett, Food & Drink Analyst
Market Data Range
2019–2030 (current prices)
Forecast Range
2026–2030
Forecast Methodology
Regression model with ARIMA errors using R; combines historical market size data with economic & demographic determinants
Nature Valley, LÄRABAR, Kellogg’s, RXBAR, Kind, Nature’s Bakery, Quaker, MadeGood, Clif, Pure Protein, Fit Crunch, Met RX, Quest, Barebells, Perfect Bar, Luna, Belvita, Think!, Atkins, Special K
Lean into packaging and product claims to gain back trust
Allow fiber to grow
Discover the top five trend territories for success in US snacking using Black Swan’s social prediction technology
THE MARKET
Market size and forecast
Market context
GLP-1s are here to stay – and bars are part of the picture
Graph 1: GLP-1 incidence and opinions, 2025
Bar launches slightly bounce back after dipping for years
Graph 2: launches of bars, 2014-25
Impacts on ingredients resulting from two fronts
Confidence is low, and cost is a major barrier
Graph 3: consumer sentiment index, 2022-25
Bars expected to experience continued success
Graph 4: total retail sales and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at current prices, 2019-30
Market size and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars
Market segmentation
Bar projections, by segment
Performance and nutrition bars are best set up for sustained growth
Graph 5: total retail sales and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, by segment, at current prices, 2019-30
Performance and nutrition bars are best set up for sustained growth
Market share/brand share
Smaller snack bar brands gain momentum on the back of indulgence and naturality
Graph 6: MULO sales of snack bars, by companies, rolling 52 weeks 2024 and 2025
Newer snack bar brands gain momentum on the back of indulgence and naturality
Protein powers performance bars
Graph 7: MULO sales of performance bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2024 and 2025
Protein powers performance bars
Nutrition bars find multiple ways to win amidst a crowded market
Graph 8: MULO sales of nutrition bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2024 and 2025
Nutrition bars find multiple ways to win amidst a crowded market
Weight loss brands hit with declines felt by the entire segment
Graph 9: MULO sales of weight loss bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2024 and 2025
Weight loss brands hit with declines felt by the entire segment
THE CONSUMER
The evolution of bar usage
Bar purchases rise across all age groups
Graph 10: P3M bar purchase, by generation, 2024-25
GLP-1 users find a solid partner in bars
Graph 11: P3M bar purchase, by type and GLP-1 status, 2025
Usage is a balance between hunger and added nutrition
Graph 12: select bar polar statements, 2025
Ingredients are the new frontier for innovation
Flavors are fine, but function thrives
Graph 13: agreement with select attitude statements, 2025
Quality speaks volumes
Graph 14: preferences on quality vs affordability in bar ingredients, by generation, 2025
Trial starts from the inside out
Graph 15: attributes leading to buying a new bar, by generation, 2025
Consumers are ready to pay for benefits in their bars
Graph 16: benefits for which consumers are willing to pay more in a bar, by type, 2025
Three benefits stand out to the broad market
Building the ideal bar
Winning over consumers in a market focused on health
Bars need to be doing better with trust
Use health claims to bring boomers back to bars
Graph 17: agreement that “I trust the health claims made by snack bars”, by generation, 2025
Simplicity in bars is growing
Graph 18: agreement that “I have recently started looking for bars with less/simpler ingredients”, by generation, 2025
Bars with simple ingredients
The prize might be in the packaging and format
Graph 19: select bar polar statements, 2025
PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING
Protein and fiber claims gain momentum
Graph 20: bar releases with protein or fiber claims, 2023-25
Climate claims move towards simplicity
Graph 21: bar releases with environmental or organic claims, 2021-25
Fermenta set to release a new climate-friendly nutrition bar
Bars continue to tie in nature and exploration
Floura flies in with simplicity, naturality, and fiber
JiMMYBAR! brings creatine to bars
Athletics are a central part of multiple brand strategies
Built builds relevance by rotating in limited-time indulgences
Clif caffeinates
David Protein’s bar explodes after macronutrient innovation
APPENDIX
Market definition
The market
Forecast methodology
Forecast methodology – fan chart
Total retail sales and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at inflation-adjusted prices
Average annual household spending on snack, nutrition and performance bars
Supermarket sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at current prices
Sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars through other retail channels, at current prices
The consumer
Consumer research questions
Consumer research methodology
TURF methodology
US generation groups
Other data source methodologies
Mintel Spark
Abbreviations
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