How to rebuild profitable CSN sales with singles and PMPs

The coronavirus pandemic we’ve seen unfold across the UK is unlike anything we’ve experienced before. Since lockdown, there has been a shift in demand within CSN segments, with in-home consumption fuelling growth. We’ve also seen out-of-home close overnight, resulting in a decline in foodservice sales. 

As the majority of people worked from home, food-to-go and meal deal sales have also unsurprisingly seen a sharp decline. Nonetheless, there has been an increase in savoury snacking occasions, with CSN being the fastest-growing snack and showing up in 70% more convenience baskets during lockdown [1]. 

Using the strength of our brand portfolio, we hope to help our retail partners adjust to new norms, reward them for their resilience and help them retain the new shoppers they have won and bigger baskets that have been gained. One of these ways will be to focus on growing profitable CSN sales with singles and PMPs and by responding to category trends such as food-to-go. 

Since March, there has been a shift in demand within the crisps, nuts and snacks segments, with in-home consumption fuelling growth and food-to-go occasions unsurprisingly declining. And while there will be an element of this in-home occasion trend continuing as lockdown slowly eases, we are seeing signs of a return to out-of-home consumption with a 5% month-on-month decline in in-home meal occasions [2]. 

The most important factors influencing shoppers to purchase crisps and snacks for the food-to-go occasion are price at 85%, brand at 77% and pack size at 72% [3]. With 40% of sales going through the top five brands, it’s essential for retailers to always make sure they stock the best-selling brands, such as McCoy’s and Hula Hoops, in a variety of sizes and price points. With consumers visiting stores more, we have the opportunity to increase sales by launching new products, promotions and flavours to keep consumers excited.

Fundamentally, we need to ensure that the shopper mission is well catered for, be it through singles well supported at the lunchtime occasion, or continuing the growth seen in PMP sharing which has seen +17.2% value growth vs YA, and is the fastest-growing format in bagged snacks. It’s key that retailers and manufacturers are not only offering the right core range in the right formats, but are boosting these with the right promotions and in-store merchandising.

To find out more, click here to download our insights guide to rebuilding profitable CSN sales with singles and PMPs.

^{[1] Kantar Usage 2020}

^{[2] Kantar OOH Report June 2020}

^{[3] HIM 2018}