Consumers continue to seek value in the snack aisle, but what justifies price differs across sweet and savory categories.
The snack category has seen significant shifts in recent years as weight-loss drug use rises and consumers move toward healthier eating habits while navigating higher food prices. For snack brands, the challenge is delivering value where consumers see it as most relevant to their eating preferences and wallets.
So, what exactly is the most meaningful metric for value?
Four in 10 consumers are shopping with value in mind, according to recent research from Deloitte. Value-seeking behavior also extends to higher-income households, with nearly a quarter (23%) of consumers who earn more than $200,000 describing themselves as value seekers.
While consumers often equate value with cost, Deloitte found that perceived value extends beyond price alone, incorporating factors such as quality, trust, flavors, ingredients and packaging.
Deloitte groups these brands into two categories: “more-value-for-the-price” (MVP) and “less-value-for-the-price” (LVP).
What separates winning snack brands from the rest?
Snack brands perceived as delivering more value than expected for their price, or MVPs, exhibited stronger retail sales growth between 2022 and 2025 than brands viewed as offering less value for the price, according to Euromonitor data cited by Deloitte.
Yet, price is only one part of value perception. When it’s factored out of the equation, what attributes do consumers value in their snacks? And how can these purchase decisions shape brands’ innovation strategies?
Data insights company HundredX identified six factors driving consumers’ value perceptions beyond price: taste, availability, flavors, convenience, quality and packaging, all of which serve as table stakes for snacks, according to Deloitte.
The difference between savory and sweet snacks isn’t just taste
Savory and sweet snack MVPs both benefit from strong perceptions of quality and trust, but beyond that, purchase drivers begin to diverge.
Savory MVP snack purchases are more frequently associated with ingredients, healthfulness and natural or organic attributes than sweet snack purchases, according to Deloitte. Consumers seeking savory snack MVPs cited attributes such as fresh taste, consistent taste, high-quality ingredients and natural ingredients that still deliver on flavor. In other words, these products are winning because consumers view them as better-for-you snacks that do not sacrifice taste.
Whereas sweet snack MVPs are driven by indulgence, convenience and a sense of fun. Consumers are more likely to choose these products because of broader flavor selections, the availability of favorite flavors, multipacks, convenient packaging, and attractive package designs and colors, according to Deloitte.
How can snack brands win on multiple value perceptions?
Price alone is not enough to shape consumers’ perceptions of value. Deloitte argues that while brands often focus on volume, margins and promotions, pricing decisions should also account for whether consumers feel they are receiving value for the cost. Adjustments can include offering package sizes and formats that fit different budgets and occasions or improving efficiencies before raising prices.
When investing in initiatives to improve value perceptions, brands should focus on the attributes consumers care about most, according to Deloitte. Rather than investing broadly, companies should prioritize product features and experiences that consumers associate with quality and value.
