Goodbye to 100 Calorie Snack Packs?
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Brandweek.com reported this week a study by Mintel research firm saying the 100-calorie snack pack may be on its way out.
The story gives a couple of good explanations. One is that thrifty consumers have figured out that it costs more to buy single-serving packages. It’s cheaper to buy a big bag or box and portion it out ourselves.
Perhaps more important is that the 100-calorie pack doesn’t work. The whole point—or marketing gimmick, depending on your point of view—was to aid portion control and weight loss and to help prevent overeating.
“A Journal of Consumer Research study last year, for instance, found participants given 100-calorie snacks while munching in front of the TV ate significantly more,” the Brandweek article says. “A second group munching from two, regular-sized potato chips bags exhibited greater portion control.”
The article quotes Mintel analyst Marcia Mogelonsky as saying the 100-calorie packs almost seem to be a “license to overeat.”
How’s that for a classic backfire?
The article also mentioned sustainability as a factor, in that consumers saw these as containing wasteful extra packaging. Not sure I buy that one, as good as it sounds.
Taste, another complaint, does make sense. The article ppointed out that the 100-calorie Oreo packs lack the creme filling.
These 100-calorie packs are not going to disappear real soon, though. The article says that 190 were launched last year and 68 have come out so far this year.
If you still like the idea of 100-calorie snacks, maybe you’d like to make your own. If so, check out the review of the new 100-Calorie Snack Cookbook.
