Changing consumer habits are transforming the snacking market, pushing producers to adapt portfolios, packaging, and communication to meet new expectations around convenience, health awareness, and sustainability, according to Dana Dobrescu, Corporate & Government Affairs Manager România at Mondelez International.

Speaking at the Future Retail & FMCG Forum organized by The Diplomat-Bucharest, Dobrescu said the global snacking leader closely monitors evolving consumption patterns, especially as traditional meals are increasingly replaced by smaller eating occasions throughout the day.

“Consumers snack more. The number of consumption occasions during the day has grown significantly, and main meals are often replaced with snacks. That’s why it’s essential to offer a diverse portfolio that fits every moment,” she said. “At the shelf, consumers want a snack that satisfies their immediate need — something that delivers quick satisfaction, an emotional boost, energy, and satiety. That means smaller, more adapted formats.”

Key statements

• Convenience is one of the most important trends in snacking. At shelf level, this translates into new formats, including smaller products and portion packs — larger boxes containing individually wrapped servings.
• Convenience overlaps with another growing consumer concern: portion control and mindful consumption.
• According to consumer data, over 70% of shoppers are interested in portion control. In response, Mondelez has updated packaging to clearly communicate serving sizes and nutritional information, including calories per portion.
• As a result, both packaging formats and on-pack communication are evolving to provide clearer, more useful information for consumers.

• Consumers increasingly prefer sustainable products, and data shows these products tend to sell better. Sustainability is therefore a core pillar of Mondelez’s Vision 2030 strategy.
• Dobrescu described sustainability as an investment with returns over time, but one that ultimately drives stronger brand performance.
• Transparency is key: brands must clearly communicate what makes a product sustainable — how it’s made, the quality standards, and how ingredients are sourced.
• This is especially important for Generation Z, which is highly attentive to product composition, manufacturing processes, and sourcing practices.
• “Consumers assume that companies that don’t communicate about sustainability simply aren’t acting sustainably,” she noted.
• The challenge is balancing multiple messages on the same packaging — nutritional, functional, and sustainability information — while keeping it simple and consumer-friendly.
• Although online channels are growing fast, offline retail remains highly relevant for Mondelez.
• Physical stores offer a relaxing, discovery-driven experience, especially in Romania, where shopping is often seen as leisure time.
• Snacking itself is linked to emotion and enjoyment: around 80% of consumers say they buy snacks for a pleasant experience.

“In uncertain times, consumers remain attached to brands they trust,” Dobrescu concluded, highlighting that offering convenient, sustainable, and emotionally engaging products is key to winning at the shelf.