SBR 46: SWEET SNACKS LOW IN SUGAR….TRICK OR TREAT?!

It’s that time of year, with Halloween (and Christmas!) around the corner, with sweet treats aplenty for kids, their eyes prowling for sugar! But for parents, it can be a challenge.

While it’s a joy for kids, parents often face fears about dealing with the sugar highs, health concerns, and the inevitable sugar crash. The guilt kicks in when boundaries around sugar are set, yet not always followed, often due to societal pressure or the overwhelming choices available.

As marketers who are also parents of children under 10, we understand the balancing act of meeting consumer needs while managing our own children’s diet. What does this mean for brands looking to enter the sweet treat market?

Navigating the Sweet Treat Battle

When it comes to snacks, parents are the gatekeepers. Each day, as I prepare for the school pick up run, I face the same dilemma.  Sometimes, the easier option is a sweet treat—but I would prefer something lower in sugar. The market is missing products that appeal to both parents and kids alike.

Many brands target the pre-school and early primary market with snacks like Bear YoYos, OrganixKids, and Kiddylicious. These options are healthy, but kids aged 6-12 often see them as a trick, not a treat. Cute packaging and disguised fruit shapes won’t fool older kids craving the real deal.

A Growing Opportunity

We’ve seen a growing number of brands in this space over recent months. And when we visited the Lunch! trade show recently, we were excited to see Zombie Snacks offering fun, engaging treats that appeal to both parents and kids. While Candy Kittens has already tapped into this niche, what stood out about Zombie was its playful branding, which appeals to primary-aged kids and early teens (where parents still control purchasing decisions).

Hat tip to Zombie for securing some incredible distribution for their gummies product in Tesco recently.

This got us thinking: what would a successful brand in this space need to do to appeal to both parents and kids?

Tapping into the Trends

Several trends support the opportunity: lunchbox restrictions, HFSS (high fat, salt, and sugar) regulations, government health initiatives, and even dentists warning about the impact of sugar on children’s teeth. Parents today are more conscious than ever about finding a balance—providing some fun for their children without falling into the sugar trap.

Insights for Brands

We know that parents feel pressured to set boundaries on what their kids eat, so brands need to offer solutions that bring joy without guilt. Parents want a sweet treat with the instant appeal of popular snacks like Haribo—but without the sugar overload.

How to apply the 4 marketing Ps to this challenge?

   Product: Focus on low sugar, fruit-based content. Sweet enough to satisfy, but natural and guilt-free.

   Price: Parents are willing to pay more for snacks that take away their guilt while delivering joy to their kids. We don’t need to compete on price. This creates a valuable niche.

   Promotion: For kids, it’s all about fun, exciting packaging—think slime, ninjas, glitter, and spooky themes. Free stickers and collectable cards could be an enticing bonus.

   Placement: Prioritise convenience with on-the-go packaging and placement in impulse buy areas, leveraging HFSS regulations.

 At Big Black Door, we see a huge opportunity in the sweet snack space for primary-aged children and early teens.

 Want to explore this market potential further? Give us a knock!