Britain’s consumers want simple pleasures

The recent report from Innova Market Insights, Consumer Trends 2023: Balancing Priorities’ shows how the nature of enjoyment, treating and reward is evolving. The message for Britain’s bakers is, they have a role to play in helping their shoppers find fulfilment, and British Bakels can help them stay in tune with their customers, with our wide range of innovative ingredients and application solutions. Our ingredients are tailor-made for the markets bakers serve, covering the bread, pastry, cake and confectionery sectors.

Familiar and comforting tastes remain extremely popular, prompting high street bakers and ingredients suppliers like British Bakels to get creative and keep their customers coming back for more. A classic example is British Bakels’ range of ready to use caramel products, which runs from low sugar to vegan and salted caramel options. British consumers look to baked goods to inspire their “feel good” moments and see them as essential to a balanced lifestyle. Older consumers are more likely to be drawn to traditional flavours, that market’s not going away, but younger generations are exploring fresh and innovative ingredients, while also evoking their memories of comfort foods with fresh new flavour experiences.

We already know from Innova’s 2022 Seasonal & Limited Edition report, that one in two consumers are looking for new taste experiences in bakery. The new research indicates more than one in four shoppers favour something new and different, and one in five prefer exotic flavour combinations. So, what does the new report tell us, and how can bakers tap into it?

We’re seeking pleasure and reward through time with close connections and “me time”

Innova’s worldwide report shows consumers gain satisfaction from a wide variety of activities and states, differing according to income and geography. Time with close connections, specifically family and friends, and “me time” rate as the highest sources of pleasure and reward overall – indicating the importance of connection and reconnection.

Quality time with family or friends and “me time” have been important sources of pleasure and reward in the past 12 months, says Innova’s research. Close connections with family and partners rank top and “me” time ranks second across all age groups, from 18-24s to over 55’s. Sweet treats and other bakery items are central to the moments that consumers find special, and create a catalyst for conversation and enjoyment. Which is where British Bakels come in, with our ingredients and recipes.

What are people looking for in everyday moments of happiness?

Innova’s worldwide survey explores everyday moments of happiness we can experience, which for 62% of people worldwide are the commonest form of treat and reward across the age groups. We find everyday moments of happiness, says Innova’s report, in getting uplift from apps and social media; ordering deliveries of treats; and elevating our senses, including with personal care products.  Next, nominated by 51% of people globally, are smaller everyday treats we can consume, including bakery items. Less than 1 in 3 of us are most likely to treat and reward ourselves by planning bigger events or experiences or buying bigger ticket items. Higher income consumers are more likely to do this, reflecting their greater financial capacity. Younger people show more spontaneity when it comes to bigger ticket items and events, though they are more likely to plan these than act on impulse. 

A ’healthy’ appetite for indulgent food and drink

With consumable treats, 9% of Brits say enjoying indulgent food and drink has been their most important source of pleasure and reward in the last 12 months. For 5%, it’s healthy food and drink. In the cost-of-living crisis, British Bakels’ mixes and ingredients help bakers deliver on both counts – healthy and indulgence. In the UK, British Bakels support our customers with mixes and ingredients enabling them to make products to suit all pockets and meet consumers’ requirements across the board.

Going forward, we look forward to working with our bakery customers to deliver added benefits, and elevate bakery products beyond enjoyment. Innova’s report suggests this could mean offering bread and other products with added functional benefits; snacks with enhanced nutritional value; and products in novel categories, such as plant-based products with a healthy halo.

Whatever happens, one thing is for sure. British Bakels will continue to be there, monitoring consumer trends and using our insights to create new mixes and ingredients and refresh our range to help Britain’s bakers give successive generations of consumers the products they want, and keep them coming back for more, just as we have done since 1904.

Data: Innova – Consumer Trends 2023: Balancing Priorities, Innova – Seasonal & Limited Edition Flavours.