With consumers and the Scottish Government pushing for healthier lifestyles, we explore which lunchbox additions can grow sales whilst providing consumers with a nutritional boost.
As August nears, retailers need to be ready to capitalise on the Back to School period. Ensuring that you have a range of child and adult packed lunch solutions is a surefire way to make the most of the opportunity. But what trends are influencing lunch purchases?
Back in 2018, Scotland set a national ambition to halve childhood obesity prevalence to 7% by 2030. Despite this, childhood obesity in Scotland is growing “alarmingly,” according to an October 2024 briefing by Obesity Action Scotland, which reports almost a fifth of children (18%) are at risk of obesity, and when combined with overweight, a third of children (33%) are at risk.
The Scottish Health Survey 2023 results, published in November 2024, show that adults are also struggling to maintain healthy diets, with almost a third (32%) living with obesity, the highest level recorded and an increase from 24% in 2003.
It’s a dire situation, but with growing awareness around the issue, attitudes are changing. In Food Standards’ Scotland’s latest Food In Scotland Consumer Tracker Survey, 72% of consumers had concerns about the healthiness of people’s diets in general, while 74% agreed with the statement ‘I know I need to do something to eat more healthily’.
In addition, almost 70% of UK parents are worried about what their children are eating and want their children to consume more healthy food, and this has translated to more than half (54%) of primary school children taking packed lunches to school [Sustain Children’s Food Campaign Parent Polling Report April 2024].
What’s more, the Scottish Government has put plans in place to create a healthier Scotland, and small businesses are part of the change. The HFSS regulations, which are set to be put before the Scottish parliament in the autumn, involve promotional and location restrictions on products High in Fat, Sugar and Salt. So why not get ahead of the game and support adults in creating healthier packed lunches for themselves and their kids?
“Children’s health in the UK is facing a crisis at the moment,” says Ewa Moxham, UK Head of Marketing at Yoplait. “Since the pandemic, we have seen an unfortunate trend towards children swapping nutrient-rich foods, such as kids’ yogurts, for more indulgent and nutrient-poor snacks like biscuits, chocolate and crisps.”
She claims that Yoplait’s portfolio, which includes Petit Filous, Frubes, Wildlife and Yop, contains key nutrients, such as vitamin D and calcium. Frubes has been given a new pack design, calling out the use of natural flavours and featuring a reassurance message focusing on fortification critical for kids’ bone development.
“With busy schedules and increasing pressure on household budgets … convenient yet nutritious options have never been more important,” says Moxham.
KP Snacks highlights big opportunities for healthier bagged snacks.
“Bagged snacks are a staple in children’s lunchboxes and a popular lunchtime and food to go choice for university students, making the ‘back to routine’ occasion a critical opportunity for retailers to drive CSN sales,” says Stuart Graham, Head of Convenience and Impulse, KP Snacks.
“Consumer health continues to be a key focus, with families actively looking for better-for-you alternatives for packed lunches and snacking occasions. KP Snacks addresses this need through our extensive range of flavourful and compliant snack products, featuring more than 100 non-HFSS lines. We understand that snacking is part of everyday life, and we’re dedicated to creating products that combine great taste with nutritional responsibility.”
Within KP’s non-HFSS portfolio is Hula Hoops Puft, worth £11m [Nielsen IQ, Total Coverage, Total Value, 22.03.25]. With just 72 calories per portion, the firm claims Hula Hoops Puft delivers an ideal lighter choice for lunchbox inclusion.
Peperami also has HFSS-compliant offerings with its Tikka and Roasted Chicken snacks. One in five UK households already buys Peperami products, such as its Lunchbox Minis, but there’s still significant room for growth, claims the £140m brand [Nielsen MAT April 2025]. Each 45g chicken pack contains just 95 kcal and comes in a £1 price-marked pack.
Shaun Whelan, Convenience/Wholesale and OOH Controller at Jack Link’s, explains: “Peperami is bringing its protein-packed snacking expertise and iconic brand into the chicken category with the launch of our new £1 PMP Chicken Bites. As the UK’s number one chilled meat brand, we’re delivering bold, high-protein snacks that resonate with today’s convenience shoppers, offering retailers a strong opportunity to drive incremental sales and margins.”
The chilled chicken snacking market is up 21% over the past two years and now worth over £165m – and 84% of these sales are incremental, states the firm.
Chicken snack brand, Fridge Raiders, is also spicing things up with its Chicken Grills range featuring Tandoori and Roast Chicken Mini Fillets.
HFSS-compliant Chicken Grills offer an impressive 23g of protein per 100g and each portion contains less than 50 kcal per mini fillet. The Chicken Grills range is tailored specifically for health-conscious snackers and achieved an 81% purchase intent in recent consumer testing.
The launch is being supported by a £2.7m marketing campaign running until October, covering the new Chicken Grills range and the brand’s established Chicken Bites.
As white bread continues to dominate the category, Hovis has unlocked an opportunity for a premium, but affordable alternative.
The Farmhouse Batch was developed following months of research and development. Research conducted with over 2,000 current bread buyers, revealed that shoppers are looking for inspiration and a premium alternative from standard, everyday white loaves – but with an accessible price point.
Baked using a traditional starter dough, Hovis Farmhouse Batch comes in 400g and 800g loaves. The inclusion of a starter dough, which is allowed at least 24 hours to fully develop, helps to create a “creamy” taste and soft texture when the loaves are batch-baked. Featuring a deeper flavour than traditional white bread, the new recipe also offers thick slices, a flavoursome, flour-dusted crust, and domed top.
Alistair Gaunt, Commercial Director at Hovis says: “Our new Hovis Farmhouse Batch is the culmination of months of consumer insight analysis, followed by recipe and product development work with our expert bakers and cross-functional teams. We have worked diligently to ensure we’re offering shoppers a more premium yet accessible, everyday alternative when they may be looking for something different to the standard soft white loaves they know and love.”
The Farmhouse Batch builds on the success of Hovis’ artisan-inspired Half Cobs and Rustic Bloomers, which have driven the success of its artisan-inspired range with a growth of +18% vs YA [NIQ Scantrack, total coverage, incl. discounters, Hovis ‘1886’ range, value sales, MAT to 18/05/24 vs previous year].
The power of protein
Beef jerky is another lunchbox-friendly snack benefitting from the popularity of protein.
The jerky and biltong category is one of the fastest growing segments within crisps, nuts, and bagged snacks, now worth over £40m RSV and continuing to expand in both value and volume, states Jack Link’s. “As consumer demand for high protein, lower calorie alternatives rises, meat snacks are becoming an increasingly relevant choice for those seeking a satisfying and tasty yet healthier option,” says Whelan.
“With fewer than one in 10 households currently purchasing jerky, there is significant opportunity for further category expansion. As a natural alternative to traditional crisps and snacks, jerky offers a balance of health, convenience, and flavour variety, catering to a broad range of shopper needs.”
Flavour innovation remains key to driving engagement, and Jack Link’s claims to have seen a strong appetite for spicy and bold flavours. “Our Sweet & Hot and Teriyaki varieties have been particularly popular – offering a balance of heat and indulgence with notes of soy, ginger, and sweetness,” says Whelan. He claims that the flavours cater to evolving consumer preferences for global and adventurous tastes.
“Merchandising with other savoury bagged snacks, crisps and nuts is fundamental, as ambient protein meat snacks offer a healthier alternative snack for shoppers, who have become more health conscious and are seeking out a high protein, low calorie brand that tastes great,” he adds.
Müller Yogurt & Desserts has also tapped into the protein trend, partnering with MyProtein to create a range of products. The HFSS-compliant range has recently expanded with new yogurt and protein shake SKUs.
The ready-to-drink protein shake packs 25g of protein per 385ml serving, while the Müller x Myprotein Crunch yogurt contains 20g of protein per 180g pot.
Richard Williams, CEO of Müller Yogurt & Desserts, says: “Together [with MyProtein], we’ve driven further growth within the dairy protein category by appealing to health-conscious consumers looking to support healthy lifestyles with products which are tasty and credible.”
Profusion’s new protein-packed snacking range could be another winner for adults looking to add interest to their lunch, whilst staying healthy.
Supplied by Windmill Organics, the new range includes two nut mixes alongside two protein cakes.
The two new ProFusion nut crunch mixes come in ‘Roasted & Salted’ and ‘Roasted Tamari’ flavours, and combine soybeans, cashews, and almonds, to deliver a powerful source of plant-based protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients. Both contain 12g of protein per pack.
The Lentil Cakes provide 25% more protein and nearly four times more fibre per serving than traditional rice cakes, while the Chickpea Cakes deliver nearly twice the protein and over two and a half times the fibre of rice cakes.
Carmen Ferguson, Brand Manager at parent company Windmill Organic, says: “The protein category is currently witnessing significant shifts, particularly towards less processed, plant-based and health-oriented products, and our ProFusion brand is at the forefront of this growing demand.”
Going green
Arguably, the healthiest lunch box addition of all is the humble salad. “Parents and guardians looking for a quick, convenient, cost-effective way to add healthier ingredients to children’s lunchboxes are increasingly turning to fresh salads, and to all-natural Florette in particular,” claims the brand.
Florette is outperforming the total prepared salads market, with annual sales worth £25m, an increase of more than 19% on the previous year [Nielsen IQ Florette Prepared Salads Total Market 52 we 22.03.25].
“Many parents will acknowledge that healthy ingredients aren’t always the first thing they think of when they’re preparing a children’s lunchbox, but easy-to-include fresh salads, which are naturally low in fat, salt and sugar, provide the healthy content they’re looking for and complement many children’s lunchbox favourites,” says Martin Purdy, Commercial and Marketing Director at Florette.
“What’s more, fresh salads add natural texture, vibrancy and colour to lunchboxes and we’re making it really easy for parents to add this healthier element to what is one of children’s most important meals of the day.”
Florette Crispy is the biggest-selling product in the impulse channel and seeing strong growth at +30% [Nielsen IQ Total Market Florette Crispy and Florette Mixed Unit Sales 52 w/e 22.03.25] and Florette Mixed salad (125g), the second-biggest product in the impulse channel +48% [ibid].
By thinking outside the box and providing shoppers with convenient and healthier options, retailers can maximise the packed lunch opportunity, with the added bonus of helping consumers to improve their diets.
Cheese has long been a household staple and continues to feature in lunchboxes across Scotland.
“When it comes to children’s meals, cheese is a much-loved key ingredient with family households containing children highly likely to consume cheese multiple times per week,” says Nicola Blackmore-Squires, Marketing Director of Ornua Foods UK, the owners of Pilgrims Choice. “Indeed, 23% of those aged 35-54 with kids are using cheese 4-6 times a week and 15% of younger families with children are consuming cheese every day [Mintel, Cheese Report: UK 2024].”
She claims that branded cheeses, such as Pilgrims Choice, over index when it comes to being used for sandwich occasions at 33%, up +1.6pp versus a year ago [Kantar Worldpanel Usage│ 52 w/e 29th December 2024│Total Occasions].
“This reflects the trust people place in brands and that consumers still see value for money as being linked to high quality and flavour not simply price,” she adds.
She encourages retailers to stock a variety of different formats. “Pilgrims Choice’s sliced and grated Cheddars are ideal for preparing school lunchboxes. They not only offer great taste, quality and versatility but also the speed and simplicity that many parents look for when making up their children’s school lunch boxes.
“Stocking packs of sliced and grated Cheddar, alongside traditional blocks, offers a great opportunity for independents and convenience stores looking to provide their shoppers with simple and convenient lunchbox solutions. Pilgrims Choice’s range of block, sliced and grated Cheddars are now available in the brand’s new, vibrantly colourful pack designs.”
