Circana Report Signals Snacking Surge in Global Bakery Market

Circana: 55% of US Consumers Now Snack at Least Three Times Daily as Bakery Sales Climb 

CHICAGO, United States — August 5, 2026 — A new global report by marketing research firm Circana has revealed that snacking has become a daily necessity for consumers worldwide, with more than half of US consumers now eating at least three snacks per day — a development carrying significant implications for the Bakery Market, which is projected to reach USD 557.59 billion by 2030, according to Next Move Strategy Consulting. 

The report, titled "Global Snack Unwrap: A New Era of Function, Fuel and Fun," found that 55% of US consumers eat at least three snacks daily, up nine percentage points from 2021. US snacking sales reached $231 billion in 2025, a 3.2% increase from the prior year. Europe's six largest markets generated €186 billion ($214 billion) in snacking sales in 2025, up 5.5%, while Australia posted A$30 billion ($21 billion), representing a 6.9% year-over-year gain. 

Health and functionality are emerging as primary purchase drivers across the snacking and bakery segments. Circana found that 32% of consumers now substitute high-protein foods and beverages for a main meal, while fiber-rich and gut-health-supporting snacks are gaining rapid traction. The report also noted that GLP-1 medication users are shifting away from chocolate, sweet, and fried foods toward healthier alternatives such as rice popcorn cakes and sugarless gum — signaling a structural shift in snack consumption patterns with direct consequences for bakery product formulation strategies. 

Artificial intelligence is also reshaping how consumers discover and select snack products. Circana noted that AI is increasingly being deployed to identify which products, attributes, and formats align with specific consumption occasions, and to generate insights that create "a common view of shopper behavior" — a development that could accelerate product innovation cycles across the broader bakery and snacking industry. 

Key Highlights: 

• 55% of US consumers now eat at least three snacks per day, up nine percentage points from 2021, reflecting a structural shift in eating habits with direct implications for bakery product demand across all categories. 

• US snacking sales reached $231 billion in 2025, up 3.2% year-over-year, while Europe's six largest markets posted €186 billion ($214 billion), up 5.5%, and Australia recorded A$30 billion ($21 billion), up 6.9% — demonstrating broad-based global momentum. 

• 32% of consumers are replacing main meals with high-protein foods and beverages, driving accelerating demand for functional bakery products including protein-enriched breads, bars, and baked snacks. 

• GLP-1 drug users are actively reducing consumption of chocolate, sweet, and fried foods, prompting bakery manufacturers to accelerate reformulation toward cleaner, lower-sugar, and higher-fiber product lines. 

Analyst Insight: 

According to analysts at Next Move Strategy Consulting, the Circana findings reinforce a broader structural realignment within the global Bakery Market, where the boundary between traditional baked goods and functional snacking continues to blur. NMSC analysts note that as consumers increasingly treat snacks as meal replacements rather than indulgences, bakery manufacturers that invest in protein fortification, clean-label reformulation, and AI-driven product discovery are best positioned to capture incremental growth. The sustained year-over-year gains in snacking sales across multiple geographies suggest that demand fundamentals remain robust, even as macroeconomic pressures and input cost inflation continue to weigh on industry margins. 

Industry Outlook: 

The Circana report underscores a pivotal transformation in global consumer eating behavior that is reshaping the competitive landscape of the Bakery Market. As snacking displaces traditional meal occasions, bakery producers face both an opportunity and an imperative to innovate — particularly in functional, high-protein, and gut-health-oriented product categories. The integration of AI into consumer decision-making further raises the bar for product relevance and discoverability at the point of purchase. With the global Bakery Market projected to reach USD 557.59 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.8%, according to Next Move Strategy Consulting, the convergence of health-driven snacking trends and digital commerce is expected to serve as a defining growth catalyst for the industry in the years ahead. 

Source: Baking Business 

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Prepared By: Sanyukta Deb