C AT E G O R Y O U T L O O K : B A R S
On the comeback trail BARS DOLLAR SALES
DOLLAR SALES ($ IN BILLIONS)
% CHANGE VS. A YEAR AGO
$3.18
-1.8%
BREAKFAST/ CEREAL/SNACK
$1.69
7.4%
GRANOLA
$1.37
-7.4%
NUTRITIONAL/ INTRINSIC HEALTH VALUE
ALL OTHER SNACK/GRANOLA
$0.32
44.9%
Latest 52 weeks ending Aug. 8, 2021 Source: IRI
“Manufacturers and retailers need to stay in tune with consumer preferences and then optimize packaging, labeling, websites and messaging to reach sustainably focused audiences most effectively.” Sally Lyons Wyatt | EVP and practice leader | IRI
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After months of stagnation, the world is steadily coming back into motion. This return to mobility is also a reflection of how bar consumption is being reestablished as people are returning to out-of-home activities such as school, work, sports and play. Largely bought and consumed for convenience, bars became somewhat obsolete as consumers were forced to curtail the activities that fuel on-the-go lifestyles, making 2020 a difficult year for the category. But just as bars help fuel resiliency in busy lifestyles, these manufacturers also demonstrated their own tenacity by shifting more business online. In 2020, e-commerce exerted never-before-seen dominance as digital retailers had to quickly embrace a new way of business practically overnight. Shifts in buying habits during the pandemic’s prime months caused e- commerce to grow more than ever as consumers opted to take their food purchasing online. With people spending more time online for school, work and social hours, marketers found an advantage in optimizing content to housebound consumers. Search engine-optimized ads attracted eyeballs, and through customized searches, consumers discovered the ability to align specific functional benefits and personalized diets with the foods they purchase. COMMERCIAL BAKING
