NPD: Consumers Snack Most on Fruit

CHICAGO — Consumers are looking to healthy fare for snacks, with fresh fruit taking the No. 1 spot as most popular snack, according to new report from The NPD Group.

Fresh fruit is also the fastest growing snack category, the research found. Older adults, 65 and older, are the biggest fruit consumers, and unsurprisingly, teens aged 13 to 17, eat the least amount of fruit.

Chocolate is the second most popular snack, followed by potato chips. NPD found that during the two-year period ending March 2010, consumers ate fruit 10 more times per year than chocolate and 25 times more than potato chips.

Read more: Snacking Trends Turn Healthy at Supermarkets

“Taking the who, what, when and where of fresh fruit consumption into account, the point to be made is that fresh fruit is a top-of-mind snack with most consumers,” Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst, said in a press release. “Among the opportunities this trend presents to producers and produce retailers to market and merchandise fruit around the activities during which it is most likely to be eaten, usage can be expanded with packaging innovation and promotions for on-the-go activities when it’s least likely to be consumed.”

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