Protein fortified bakery products offer guilt-free consumption

Bakery products are a popular snacking option at a time when consumers skip meals and snack out-of-home more frequently. However, snacking occasions are something that can create feelings of guilt afterwards.

A key way of doing this is through protein fortification.

This would enable product categories such as cakes and pastries to be positioned around containing ‘real’ and ‘authentic’ ingredients that are health-boosting. This is something that would particularly appeal to consumers when it comes to traditional bakery shops and quick service restaurants (QSR).

An FMCG Gurus survey conducted earlier this year found that 85% of consumers say they snack. Additionally, 40% of consumers also say they regularly snack and turn to meal substitutes out-of-home and on-the-go.

When it comes to such informal consumption occasions, bakery products are a popular choice for one in five consumers (17%). However, such consumption occasions can often create feelings of guilt afterwards, particularly if these are moments of indulgence that conflict with health goals.

Always on a diet

These feelings of guilt can be related to the fact that, at any given time, approximately 39% of consumers claim to be on a diet. As such, it is important that snacks are seen to offer nutritional value as well as taste.

This creates an opportunity for bakery brands to position products around protein fortification. FMCG Gurus research found over 80% of consumers have favorable perceptions of protein. Moreover, 41% of consumers say they would like to increase their daily intake of protein.

This would create more options for consumers when it comes to snacking out of home.

In addition to wanting to increase protein intake, 45% of consumers say they would like to see high protein products stocked in QSR and coffee shops, while 18% say they would like to see such products stocked in traditional bakeries.

This reflects how consumers want to see high protein products outside of the traditional categories like snack bars, powder and beverages, and in categories inherently associated with indulgence.

Across the globe, the number of out-of-home snacking occasions will continue to increase.

So will feelings of guilt that are associated with such occasions as well as consumer interest in high protein products. This creates the opportunity for both protein suppliers and the bakery industry to look at opportunities for fortification outside of traditional categories.

FMCG Gurus research surveyed 25,000 consumers in 25 countries.