Cheese snacks boom in the tween sector

In an attempt to boost their children’s calcium intake, many parents are turning to cheese snacks, new research from Roy Morgan shows.

In 2013, 17% of Australian parents with kids under 16 at home purchased cheese snacks in a four-week period, compared to just 5% of people without kids in the household. Parents with babies and toddlers (aged 0 to 5) are most likely to buy cheese snacks (20%), followed by those with 6- to 11-year-olds.

However, the strongest growth has been amongst parents of tweens and teens (12 to 16), with 14% now buying cheese snacks, up 4% since 2009.

Overall, the percentage of parents purchasing cheese snacks has grown 2% since 2009. While Babybel, Bega Stringers and Kraft Cheese Sticks remain popular, Laughing Cow and supermarket home brands have experienced the strongest proportional growth over the period.

“Cheese snacks are a quick and easy way for parents to boost their children’s calcium intake - and perhaps keep them quiet until dinnertime,” said Angela Smith, group account manager - consumer products, Roy Morgan Research.

“Kraft Cheese Sticks are a winner among parents of children aged 0 to 5, while Bega Stringers lead among those with 6- to 11-year-olds, and Laughing Cow is the most common choice for those with children 12 to 16.”