Candy & snacks

Discount Store News, Oct 20, 1997

When it comes to candy and snacks, consumers have several favorites, and retailers are lucky enough to be able to benefit from a category filler with many big name snack foods that appeal to most people at various times of the day. Yet for the first time ever, retailers and consumers disagree substantially on the No. 1 brand in the candy and snacks category. In fact, one retailer's best performing brand is another's No. 2 or No. 3 brand.

Almost universally, consumers agree that when they shop for snack foods, the No. 1 brand they look for is Frito/ Lay. The only group to dispute this finding was Empty Nesters. Their favorite is Hershey. Baby Boomers are split, preferring Frito Lay and Hershey in equal numbers.

According to survey results, Frito Lay is the most sought after snack brand among all consumers in general, among Kmart, Wal-Mart and Target shoppers specifically and among Baby Busters. Retailers report that shell best performing braid is Hershey.

Last year, most consumers said Frito Lay was their preferred snack with Hershey in the No. 2 spot. Hershey is again in second place among consumers this year, followed by M&M/Mars, then Snickers. There was a three-way tie for fifth among consumers: Nabisco, Little Debbie and Reese's. And there also was a tie for eighth place between Planter's and Doritos. In tenth place was Brach's.

This year, both the consumers' and retailers' top 10 brands list included nine of the same brands, just in different order. The difference: consumers mentioned Reese's often enough to place it in a tie for fifth place. On the retailer's list of best performing brands, Reese's was No. 11.

For retailers, Milky Way was listed as a to performer, in the seventh position. It was identified as a top performer at Kmart (No. 8) and at Target (No. 9).

The broad mix of brands available at retail has instilled a sense of confidence in shoppers. When they were asked to rate their confidence level on a scale of one to nine, with one meaning they don't feel it is likely that they'll find what they're looking for at the discount store they shop most and nine meaning they are sure of finding exactly that they're looking for, the mean score was 7.90, higher than all other categories except film (8.55) and blank videocassettes (8.38). Among consumers over 50, the confidence score soared to 8.35. Six out of 10 rated their confidence level a nine, three points higher than in the 1996 survey.

Asked it they would be willing to switch brands if they couldn't find the one they were looking for, 54% said yes. In many categories, this answer would indicate that consumers were not brand loyal. But in candy and snacks, this response indicates the broad list of consumer favorites. To loyal snackers, if one brand or type of treat is unavailable, another will suit them satisfactorily.

But branded goods may not be the only kinds of snacks consumers crave. According to results, 59% of respondents said that they are willing to try private label goods at their favorite discount department store, proof that the premium quality private label candy and snacks have won favor with consumers. This year's result is one point higher than last year's and equal to 1995's survey results.

But brands are what consumers seek. As a result, three brands in the candy and snacks category made DSN,s exclusive Power Brands list. They are: M&M/Mars, Hershey and Frito Lay.

Consumer brand preference by specific retail chain illustrated some interesting results. Shopper preference seemed to vary slightly by store most frequently shopped and included many ties.

Among Wal-Mart shoppers, Frito Lay was in first place with nearly two in 20 mentions, followed by Hershey, then M&M/Mars. In fourth was Little Debbie, followed by Reese's, Nabisco and Snickers all tied for fifth; Doritos and Brach's in eighth, and Planters was in tenth.

Among Kmart shoppers, Frito Lay was in first, followed by M&M/Mars and Hershey. Snickers and Little Debbie were tied in fourth; Nabisco, Reese's and Planters in sixth and Brach's and Pringles in tenth.

Among Target consumers, Frito Lay was in first, M&M/Mars in second, Hershey in third and Little Debbie in fourth. In a tie for fifth were Snickers, Planters, Brach's, Keebler and Snackwells. In a four-way tie for tenth were Little Debbie, Doritos, Wrigley and Keebler.

Consumers under 35 said when they go shopping for snacks the brand they look for is Frito Lay and then Kit Kat. Little Debbie and M&M/Mars tied for third. Fifth was a four-way tie among Snickers, Hershey, Nabisco and Reese's. And there was a three-way tie for ninth among Pringles, Wrigley and Keebler.

The list varied dramatically among respondents 35 to 49. Their favorites were M&M/Mars and Frito Lay, tied for first followed by Hershey in third, Snickers in fourth, Reese's in fifth and Nabisco, Planters and Doritos tied for sixth. In eighth was Little Debbie, and tied for tenth were Milky Way and Snackwells.

Among people over 50, the top brand was Hershey, followed by Frito Lay in second, M&M/Mars in third and Snickers and Doritos tied for fourth. Tied for sixth were Nabisco, Brach's, Pringles and Jays. In tenth was a tie among Little Debbie, Reese's, Planters, Snackwells and Sathers.