Key takeaways:
- Biscuits are proving remarkably resilient worldwide, with shoppers sticking to small, affordable indulgences even as they cut back elsewhere.
- Premium and mini formats are driving the strongest growth, fueled by at-home treating, hybrid work and ‘guilt-free’ portion control trends.
- Major investments like Mondelez’s expansion in Poland show the category’s long-term strategic importance, not just in the UK but across global snacking market.
The biscuit aisle has had a strangely steady year across much of the world. Even as grocery prices yo-yo’d and shoppers pulled back on bigger-ticket treats, biscuits and cookies managed to hold their ground.
In the UK, Sweet Biscuits kept their £3.1bn value despite turbulence elsewhere. And the international picture looks even sturdier: the global biscuits and crackers market topped more than $108 billion in 2024, with forecasts pointing to $167-$206 billion within the next decade. Asia-Pacific continues to dominate per-capita consumption, while North America and Europe remain reliable strongholds for premium and seasonal ranges.
The through-line everywhere is the same: shoppers might be skipping cafés or scaling back restaurant visits, but they’re still sliding a pack of something sweet or savory into their baskets. Biscuits remain one of the few ‘small luxuries’ people continue to justify, even in tougher economic cycles.
What has changed is what they’re choosing. Premium biscuits have picked up momentum across multiple regions, helped along by consumers who still want indulgence but in a more controlled cost format. Dark chocolate, filled biscuits and artisanal or heritage-style cookies are outperforming in markets from Europe to Southeast Asia.
In the UK, FBC (Fox’s Burton’s Companies) estimates the premium tier around £396.3m and growing, but similar uplift is being echoed in the US gourmet cookie boom and China’s surging appetite for coated and sandwich-style biscuits. Retailers in several countries are reshaping shelves accordingly, carving out more space for higher-end products, limited editions and giftable formats.
At the same time, minis have made a global comeback. They dipped during lockdown years but are now thriving as hybrid workers return to commutes, lunchboxes, long car rides and grab-and-go routines. Portion control is part of the appeal, but so is simple practicality. In markets as different as India, the UK and the US, minis are one of the fastest-growing biscuit formats. The trend dovetails neatly with the rise of ‘guilt-free indulgence’ - slightly lighter recipes, reduced sugar or smaller formats that let shoppers feel they’re treating themselves without fully committing to it.
And perhaps the clearest signal that biscuits remain a strategic category globally is Mondelez’s latest expansion. The company is investing 620m zlotys (about $169m) into its Płońsk facility in Poland, adding new Lubisie and Milka biscuit lines, upgrading infrastructure and boosting capacity by around 30%. It’s a substantial bet in a market that’s increasingly central to the company’s European biscuit production. When one of the world’s biggest snacking players is building more lines, not fewer, it says everything about the long-term confidence in biscuits.
Here’s a look at the launches landing now.
Walker’s Shortbread + Andy Murray bring joy to Christmas
Walker’s has gone for a campaign that’s playful rather than overly polished. Andy Murray stars in a bespoke woolly jumper covered in shortbread motifs, anchoring a seasonal rollout across TV, out-of-home and social. One of the more charming touches is an Edinburgh tram wrapped fully in tartan and imagery of Murray snacking on a Walker’s Christmas Tree shortbread. It’s the kind of campaign that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is better for it.
There’s also a strong charity thread. Murray’s original jumper is being auctioned to raise funds for Cash for Kids’ Mission Christmas, and a limited run of replicas is on sale with all proceeds going to the charity.
Walker’s has also taken over several airport spaces, including Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick South, Glasgow and Edinburgh, offering travelers a quick sample of its all-butter shortbread in a tartan-themed winter setup. The wider range, made with simple ingredients and no artificial colors or flavors, is available nationwide for the holidays.
Ritz gears up for a louder Big Game return
Ritz is heading back to the Big Game on February 8, 2026, marking another bold swing from the brand after last year’s debut of the Ritz Salty Club. That first ad leaned into the classic salty bite and was shot in the Utah Salt Flats. This year, the creative remains under wraps, but the tone is expected to be even bigger as part of a full multichannel campaign that spans retail, social and PR.
The product that shoppers will actually see first is the new football-shaped cracker landing on shelves December 1. It’s still the buttery, salty cracker everyone knows, but the new shape practically insists on being part of a game-day lineup. It’s playful, it’s a little cheeky and it fits neatly into Ritz’s effort to maintain cultural relevance rather than simply take up space on the shelf.
Pepperidge Farm turns cookie gifting into a seasonal surprise
Pepperidge Farm is leaning into the idea that small gestures still matter. Its Holiday Cookie Courier is a free cookie-gram service launching on December 4. Shoppers can head to PepperidgeFarmHoliday.com, pick a recipient and send a festive box while supplies last. Inside are two full bags of cookies, Chessmen and Milano Mint Chocolate, plus a personalized note. It’s simple, but it’s the sort of small delight people like to share.
The brand is already encouraging users to post their cookie-gram moments online, tagging @PepperidgeFarm. For shoppers building their own gift boxes, the full holiday collection is available now on Amazon. Highlights include Chessmen Holiday Nog, Milano Slices Peppermint, Brussels Mint, Gingerman, Linzer Raspberry and Thin & Crispy Peppermint Cocoa, each with a $5.89 price point. Milano Amaretto Hot Cocoa is exclusive to Target at $5.19.
Tim Tam Twin Pack gives the UK a snack-size Aussie indulgence
Tim Tam has been gaining fans in the UK since its 2024 arrival, but the latest move might be its shrewdest. The newly launched Twin Pack is the brand’s first global supermarket debut in a smaller, on-the-go format. It contains two original Tim Tams and sells for £1 or as part of Tesco Meal Deals in selected Tesco Express stores.
“Demand to have Tim Tam in an on-the-go format has been strong,” says Amber Dutkiewicz, the UK and Ireland market development manager.
The Twin Pack keeps the classic combination of crunchy biscuit, smooth cream filling and chocolate coating, but makes it something you can eat between meetings or stash in a bag for later. It’s an effective way to pull the brand further into everyday British snacking.
Fox’s Chocolatey steps confidently into its premium era
Fox’s Burton’s Companies has pulled its most indulgent products under one umbrella with the launch of Fox’s Chocolatey, a new masterbrand uniting Fabulous Cookies, Viennese and Rounds. The redesign leans heavily on richer tones, bolder chocolate cues and photography that pushes the products squarely into premium territory. It signals indulgence at first glance.
Fox’s has good reason to make the move. The brand already commands a strong position in premium treats with a 21% market share, 30% household penetration and a repeat rate of 60%.
“Fox’s Chocolatey is built on what we know shoppers are looking for – premium indulgence, generous chocolate and trusted quality,” says senior brand manager Bronwen Arthur. A £3.2m campaign spanning TV, outdoor and instore activation is supporting the rollout, which continues throughout 2025.
Sweet Loren’s has a little fun with mother-in-law season
Sweet Loren’s is tapping into a widely understood but rarely advertised holiday pressure point: pleasing your in-laws. The brand’s Tough Cookie Mother-in-Law Sweepstakes invites shoppers to follow it on TikTok or Instagram, comment on the giveaway post and share how they’d sweeten their mother-in-law visit this year. Three winners will receive $5,000 and a year’s supply of dough.
There’s an optional second entry for anyone willing to share an Instagram Reel featuring their funniest or most relatable mother-in-law moment.
“We created a feel good, no hassle, ready-to-bake cookie with a taste that everyone will swear by – even my mother-in-law approves,” says founder and CEO Loren Castle. The campaign supports Sweet Loren’s first masterbrand push, You’ll Swear by Them, which highlights its gluten-free, vegan and allergen-friendly doughs made with simple, non-GMO ingredients. Sweet Loren’s is now stocked in more than 30,000 US stores.
Tate’s rides the peppermint wave with its returning seasonal hit
Peppermint has muscled its way into the holiday spotlight this year, and Tate’s Bake Shop is leaning right into it. Its Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Bark is back, mixing shards of the brand’s thin-and-crispy chocolate chip cookies with dark chocolate and peppermint pieces. It’s crunchy, cool and festive without feeling gimmicky.
Searches for peppermint baked goods have climbed sharply year over year, and the flavor is cropping up everywhere from hot chocolates to candles. Tate’s bark sits neatly in that trend.
It’s available nationwide at major retailers including Albertsons, Walmart, Publix, Whole Foods and Target, and online both through the brand’s site and Amazon. It’s one of those desserts you can take to a party and watch disappear.
Cadbury Snow Balls Cookies bring winter to instore bakery
Baker & Baker has extended its Cadbury fresh bakery lineup with a winter-themed cookie: Cadbury Snow Balls Cookies. It’s the first time Snow Balls have crossed into fresh bakery, and the format makes sense for the season. The cookie combines Cadbury chocolate cookie dough with mini Snow Balls inclusions and is baked fresh instore.
The product comes in a pack of four priced at £2.00 and is now rolling out across Coop, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s. Licensing director Michael Bancroft notes that the familiar brand name plus a seasonal hook should drive quick impulse buys. Retailers are supporting the launch with winter-focused instore activity.
Nestlé Toll House keeps holiday baking simple
Nestlé Toll House has released three limited edition doughs designed for homes where holiday baking is happening on two hours of sleep and a tight schedule.
Peppermint Cocoa Cookie Dough brings together cocoa dough and red-and-white peppermint chunks. Milk Chocolate M&M Minis Holiday Sugar Cookie Dough returns with red and green candies. Santa’s Cookie Dough layers brown-butter flavor with chocolate morsels and festive sprinkles.
Each 14oz pack produces around 20 cookies and is available nationwide at a suggested $3.86.
“Our limited edition holiday doughs will inspire families to continue longstanding traditions or create a new one around the table – one cookie, one memory and one bite of magic at a time,” says Kate Boeding, head of marketing.
