Biscuits prove popular with young and old

The demographics of biscuit consumption remain a challenge to marketers, with teenagers and older Australians the nation’s most avid biscuit eaters.

Roy Morgan Research has revealed that the proportion of Australians aged 14+ who eat sweet biscuits in any given seven-day period is on the decline — but remains substantially higher than the country’s savoury biscuit eaters.

In 2015, 42.4% of Australians reported eating at least one sweet biscuit in an average seven days, down from 46.3% in 2011. Consumption of savoury biscuits/crackers remained relatively stable at 32.4%, compared to 33.1% in 2011.

More than half (51.6%) of the 65+ demographic consumed sweet biscuits in an average seven days, ahead of under 18s (46.5%). Under 18s were slightly more likely to eat savoury biscuits — 36.3% vs 36.2% of the over 65s.

More than half (55%) of Australia’s sweet-biscuit consumers eat only sweet biscuits. Savoury-biscuit crunchers are not as exclusive in their tastes — only 40.5% limit themselves solely to savoury.

Overall, Aussies who eat either kind of biscuit in any given seven days tend to be above average for eating the other kind as well: 59.5% of people who eat savoury biscuits also eat sweet, while 45.4% of sweet-biscuit eaters also consume savoury.

Andrew Price, general manager – consumer products, Roy Morgan Research, said the challenge for marketers was complicated further when the bigger snack picture was observed.

“Young Aussies aged 14–17 are more likely than any other age group to eat just about every snack category measured by Roy Morgan Research, while the older bracket tends to be below average for most snacks. So not only do these two groups sit at opposite ends of the age spectrum, they also have markedly different snacking habits — yet are somehow united by their penchant for biscuits,” he explained.