Walkers taste-guarantee entices consumers to try better-for-you ranges
The ‘Taste Us. Love Us.’ campaign is the first of its kind for PepsiCo UK.
“We know that shoppers’ number one concern when choosing smarter snacks is the perceived taste,” said Michal Iwasyszyn, marketing manager of the company’s better-for-you portfolio.
He emphasized the importance of repeat purchasing, especially for products that consumers might hesitate to try due to less familiar snack ingredients or a higher price point.
Iwasyszyn told BakeryandSnacks that PepsiCo launched the campaign "to tackle taste misconceptions and bring the great taste of Sunbites, Walkers Oven Baked and Snack a Jacks to a wider audience."
"Insight tells us that consumers can be nervous about choosing these snacks, but once they taste our products, the repeat purchase rates are phenomenal. This money back campaign demonstrates our confidence across our portfolio and aims to encourage new shoppers into the segment,” he said.
According to market research firm IRI, sales of better-for-you snacks are growing at a rate three times that of the traditional segment. Simplicity – which can mean all-natural, clean-label or limited ingredients, said IRI's VP of content and thought leadership Joan Driggs – continues to rule the snacking segment.
"Consumers are trying to eat better, and really they're happy to put the onus on manufacturers to help them get there," she said.
By the numbers
Walkers oven-baked range features nine flavors of ‘twice-baked’ chips. Each 93-calorie pack contains 50% less fat than the average potato chip, according to PepsiCo UK.
Snack-A-Jacks makes rice and corn cakes, as well as bite-sized the bite-sized version featured in this promotion. One 23g bag contains 95 calories, plus 1.7g of protein and 0.3g of fiber.
Sunbites Grainwaves, available in six flavors, contain a mix of whole corn, whole wheat and whole oat flour, plus a touch of rice flour. A 25g bag contains 120 calories, plus 1.8g of protein and 1.7g of fiber.
Dissatisfied consumers can visit the campaign's website, www.tasteusloveus.com, to upload their receipt and request a refund.
Participating products include both single packs and multipacks of Walkers, Sunbites and Snack-A-Jacks. The maximum refund value for a single pack ranges from £0.90 to £1.25 ($1.16-$1.62) and £2.75 to £3.90 ($3.56-$5.04) for a multipack.
In March, Walkers unveiled a recycling program with TerraCycle as part of its goal to reach 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable packaging by 2025.
