The snacks market in New Zealand is entering a phase of cautious recovery in 2025, as economic headwinds begin to moderate and consumer behaviour adjusts to a new normal. While elevated living costs and high interest rates continue to influence household budgets, signs of inflationary easing and stabilised supply chains are fostering a more favourable trading climate. This has led to a gradual rebound in retail volume sales across core snacks categories, although demand remains below pre-pandemic highs. Consumers are still spending carefully, but their snacks purchases are now guided more by value-for-money perceptions than pure necessity, with multipacks, bulk formats, and private label options gaining ground.
The redefinition of traditional snacking occasions continues to gain momentum in New Zealand, driven by the resurgence of structured routines linked to back-to-school and return-to-office dynamics. As consumers adapt to busier lifestyles, there is heightened demand for convenient, on-the-go formats that fit seamlessly into lunchboxes and which are suitable for eating while commuting and pursuing active schedules. In response, manufacturers are innovating with portable, portion-controlled, and nutritionally balanced offerings such as breakfast bars, mini biscuit packs, and shelf-stable fruit snacks. These formats cater not only to impulse snacking but also to planned, functional consumption throughout the day.
Mondelez New Zealand continues to hold the leading position in the country’s snacks market, supported by a balanced strategy that combines portfolio strength, local investment, and long-term brand equity. With a powerhouse portfolio including Cadbury, Pascall, Oreo, and The Natural Confectionery Co, Mondelez maintains strong consumer penetration across both indulgent and health-aligned snacking occasions. These brands have become household staples in New Zealand, offering a wide range of options that cater to evolving consumer preferences, from occasional treats to everyday functional snacking. Strategic moves such as the acquisition of Gourmet Food Holdings have further expanded Mondelez’s footprint in the premium and wellbeing segments, reinforcing its leadership across a diverse range of snacks categories.
Supermarkets continue to serve as the primary destination for snacks purchases in New Zealand, cementing their position as the most influential and resilient channel within the category. In a climate of elevated cost-of-living pressures, supermarkets have strengthened their dominance by offering a compelling mix of affordability, accessibility, and a broad product assortment. Their ability to seamlessly integrate leading brands, health-forward innovations, and value-driven private label lines allows them to meet the needs of both budget-conscious and quality-seeking shoppers. Retail giants such as Woolworths New Zealand and Foodstuffs have strategically expanded their category influence by refining on-shelf curation, accelerating health-focused innovation, and deploying high-impact promotional tactics ranging from multi-buys and price rollbacks to loyalty-linked discounts.
Over the forecast period, New Zealand’s snacks market is projected to maintain steady value growth, underpinned by a further recovery in volume demand as economic conditions stabilise. While easing inflation and improved consumer confidence are expected to support purchasing behaviours, unit prices are expected to remain volatile over the forecast period, primarily due to sustained external pressures such as climate change and ongoing geopolitical tensions. These factors continue to disrupt global commodity supply chains particularly for inputs like cocoa, dairy, and grains leading to fluctuations in production costs.
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Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Snacks industry in New Zealand 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.
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