E-commerce snack sales are USD57 billion globally, only outpaced in growth in recent years by warehouse clubs, discounters and smaller distribution channels. Besides snacks’ high repurchase rates, “frequently bought together” and “buy it again” algorithms are disproportionately more effective for snacks than for other fmcg categories. Online snack sales’ fast growth can be attributed to relatively lower marketing activation costs, higher potential for amplified reach and returns, and evolved alignment with the digitally savvy and native consumers (eg urban millennials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha).
This article considers the role of social media commerce and AI-powered commerce increasingly influencing product discovery and snacks’ e-commerce performance.
Social commerce drives new snacks discovery and boosts brand growth
Social media becoming a primary product discovery channel is impactful for the snacks industry, with Douyin/TikTok at the centre of this shift. Snacks are highly visual and often linked to experimentation, thus suited to platforms where consumers encounter products through short-form videos, creator recommendations, and viral trends.
TikTok’s algorithm-driven model – personalised, visually engaging, and designed to amplify high-performing content – is especially effective at boosting brand growth. Sales of China’s largest e-commerce snack brand, Three Squirrels, have grown three times faster via Douyin/TikTok Shop (a major commerce platform for snacks in China) than overall e-commerce. In the US, snack sales via TikTok Shop grew by 119% during 2025, while overall snacks e-commerce grew by 18%. UK snacks saw a similar trend, with 56% growth seen via TikTok Shop.
However, subcategory trends show interesting regional nuance. Confectionery leads social commerce sales via TikTok Shop in UK snacks, with brands such as Cadbury and Lindt popular. In the US, most consumers shop for savoury snacks on TikTok Shop, with Walmart’s private label Great Value leading, followed by PepsiCo’s Lay’s and Doritos.
Social media influencer partnerships are leveraged to drive growth in online sales. Players like Mondelez and Dodo Chocolates have been backed by the likes of Douyin/TikTok-famous chefs, former FIFA World Cup champions, top-tier digital content creators and micro-influencers to boost marketing performance and achieve double- to triple-digit online sales growth in return – essentially going viral and showing how impactful the channel, cultural snacking, and the element of social proof can be for snacks’ value growth.
GenAI: A new layer for personalised assistance shaping brand relevance
GenAI platforms (eg Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity) are emerging as a new layer of influence in product discovery and innovation.
Up to 22% of connected consumers rely on GenAI platforms when making purchase decisions
Source: Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey, fielded January-February 2026.
Of those using GenAI platforms when shopping, 28% cite finding more relevant product recommendation as the biggest advantage, per Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer: Digital Shopper Survey, fielded April 2025.
Consumers are using GenAI to discover new snacks as well as compare labels and prices. AI-assisted snacks e-commerce accounts for only 4% of overall referral activity, ranking third after attribute-dense beauty and consumer health categories. As retailers and GenAI platforms enhance capabilities, and manufacturers optimise product description quality and discoverability, automated snack purchase transactions are also likely to gain traction.
Confectionery is one of the most sought-after snack categories on GenAI platforms – particularly when looking for gifts, international treats, or trending items seen through various media. Furthermore, sugar and chocolate confectionery’s high degree of product variety and consumer curiosity within the segments drive nearly 40% of snack-related GenAI referrals to e-commerce sites – growing by 37% during 2025.
Flavours like pistachio, cheddar cheese, apple, and mango have seen strong gains in global snack product launches, as have those capturing the Spice Specifics snack trend with more artisanal flavour varietals like Iranian and Italian pistachios (eg used in Dubai-style chocolates), spiced apple, and mango mixed with other tropical fruits (eg passion fruit). Meanwhile, texture descriptors are expected to remain a strong point of value when crafting engaging online promotions read by GenAI to emphasise experience and better prompt consumers’ sensory expectations…virtually.
Implications for action
- Build out omnichannel strategy for a broad-and-deep reach for brands in the future channel and consumer landscape;
- Leverage and test social and AI commerce to boost product discovery, curation, and engagement;
- Unlock cost-efficiencies through prosumeric (brand-consumer co-created) innovations and inherently lower online distribution fees.
Learn more about e-commerce snacks in our webinar, From Search to Conversation: How AI is Rewiring the Traditional Shopper Funnel, and about balancing AI adoption with human insight in Top Five Trends in Snacks.