Snacks in 2025: The big picture
In 2025, snacks in China is maintaining stable but modest growth, with overall retail value expanding at a low single-digit rate. This somewhat muted trajectory primarily reflects broader macroeconomic pressures, which are leading consumers to reduce discretionary spending on snacks products.
Key trends in 2025
Health and wellness trends remain key drivers of growth and development in snacks, especially within sweet and savoury biscuits. With the Chinese government’s early 2025 initiatives promoting national health management, consumer demand for healthier snack options is likely to grow significantly. This shift will support sales of products such as low-sodium, sugar-free and digestion-friendly soda crackers tailored for elderly consumers, medicated sugar confectionery, as well as savoury snacks boasting high protein levels and reduced fat content.
Competitive Landscape
Mondelez China continues to hold the number one spot in snacks overall in China in 2025, supported in large part by its performance in biscuits and confectionery, with the company commanding a clear lead of sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks. Leveraging the strong brand recognition of its flagship products such as Oreo and Stride, along with effective marketing strategies and a robust distribution network, Mondelez is further strengthening its presence in the competitive landscape.
Channel developments
Though supermarkets remains the leading distribution channel for snacks in 2025, its share has been steadily declining throughout the review period. This is mainly because the supermarket retail format has matured and is gradually ageing, losing its appeal among younger and more value-conscious consumers. At the same time, Chinese consumers are increasingly seeking greater convenience and value in their shopping experiences, with convenience stores, food specialists, discounters and e-commerce platforms all gaining share.
What next for snacks?
Overall snacks is set to see moderate retail value growth over the forecast period. Positive drivers include the steady increase in disposable income, deeper penetration of distribution channels into lower-tier cities and rural areas, and active new product development by manufacturers. At the same time, there are negative factors that will continue to curb growth – for example, China’s declining population, persistently low birth rate, and an ageing demographic structure. In addition, rising health awareness among local consumers is leading to more cautious attitudes toward sugar and fat intake.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Snacks industry in China with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to a comprehensive range of core packaged food categories.
If you're in the Snacks industry in China, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Snacks in China report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Snacks in China?
- Which are the leading brands in Snacks in China?
- How are products distributed in Snacks in China?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and/or the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- What are the key health and wellness concerns driving, or challenging, sales in Snacks?
- How significant are vegan and vegetarian dietary requirements in determining sales growth in China?
- How has COVID-19 impacted consumer demand? To what extent have lockdown, home seclusion and stockpiling boosted sales? Will the longer term economic repercussions of the pandemic stimulate or suppress future growth?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
- How significant will values-based claims, such as sustainability and ethical labelling, be in supporting future growth and brand equity?
Snacks in China
Snacks in 2025: The big picture
Key trends in 2025
Competitive Landscape
Channel developments
What next for snacks?
DISCLAIMER
Chocolate Confectionery in China
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Value sales rise, with boxed assortments leading growth
Mars remains overall leader and continues to expand in 2025, as texture and flavour innovation continues apace
Discounters sees fastest growth while e-commerce accounts for most sales
Sales set to slow during forecast period, prompting further investment in health attributes
Tech advances shape development
Innovation through focus on regional flavours
Gum in China
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Gum sees value sales rise as players invest in new consumption occasions
Wrigley dominates chewing gum and retains stronghold over bubble gum in 2025
Supermarkets accounts for most gum sales in China, with gum increasingly seen as offering emotional value
Further growth forecast, though potential is limited
Players likely to continue to focus on expanding consumption scenarios
Sugar Confectionery in China
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Rising health awareness shapes development in sugar confectionery
Guangdong leads overall, with Cadbury gaining ground
Small local grocers preferred outlets for sugar confectionery purchases
Sugar confectionery to see growth curbed by maturity
Demand for high juice content will persist as production methods progress
Chinese medicinal ingredients at the centre of new player’s products
Ice Cream in China
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Turnaround for ice cream in China in 2025
Yili maintains overall leadership as Mars goes from strength to strength
Small local grocers cede ground to modern retail
Stable growth forecast for ice cream
Players invest in new distribution channels
A2 protein products, innovative flavours and unique shapes enter ice cream
Savoury Snacks in China
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Low but steady growth for savoury snacks in 2025
PepsiCo leads, while Weilong brand rises to second rank in brands
Supermarkets as preferred channel for savoury snacks
Flavour innovation to drive growth in forecast period
Rising health consciousness spurs demand for functional variants
National health guidelines will inform development in savoury snacks
Sweet Biscuits, Snack Bars and Fruit Snacks in China
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Sluggish growth seen in 2025
Mondelez maintains overall leadership
Supermarkets leads distribution, with e-commerce standing out in snack bars
Value growth to improve during forecast period as competition intensifies, with players investing in bite-sized snacks and sensory experiences
Chocolate players enter with a focus on biscuits
Government health initiatives may impact innovation
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Snacks
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- Chocolate Pouches and Bags
- Boxed Assortments
- Chocolate with Toys
- Countlines
- Seasonal Chocolate
- Tablets
- Other Chocolate Confectionery
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- Bubble Gum
- Chewing Gum
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- Boiled Sweets
- Chewy Candies
- Gummies and Jellies
- Liquorice
- Lollipops
- Medicated Confectionery
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- Power Mints
- Standard Mints
- Toffees, Caramels and Nougat
- Other Sugar Confectionery
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- Frozen Yoghurt
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- Single Portion Dairy Ice Cream
- Single Portion Water Ice Cream
- Plant-based Ice Cream
- Unpackaged Ice Cream
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- Bulk Dairy Ice Cream
- Ice Cream Desserts
- Multi-Pack Dairy Ice Cream
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- Bulk Water Ice Cream
- Multi-Pack Water Ice Cream
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- Nuts, Seeds and Trail Mixes
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- Potato Chips
- Tortilla Chips
- Puffed Snacks
- Rice Snacks
- Vegetable, Pulse and Bread Chips
- Savoury Biscuits
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Meat Snacks
- Seafood Snacks
- Other Savoury Snacks
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- Dried Fruit
- Processed Fruit Snacks
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- Cereal Bars
- Protein/Energy Bars
- Fruit and Nut Bars
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- Chocolate Coated Biscuits
- Cookies
- Filled Biscuits
- Plain Biscuits
- Wafers
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This report originates from Passport, our Snacks research and analysis database.
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