The European Potato Chips Market Retains Growth Despite the Pandemic (2024)

IndexBox has just published a new report:‘EU – Potato Chips – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends, and Insights.’ Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

Potato chips constitute a very widely known and popular product in the EU. The market size is estimated at $4.5B (this figure refers to producers and importers’ revenues, excl. retail margins), which equated to approx. 1.9M tonnes. The countries with the highest volumes of potato chip consumption are Germany (487K tonnes), Italy (249K tonnes), and France (246K tonnes), with a combined 53% share of total consumption. The Netherlands, the UK, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Belgium, Romania, Poland, and Finland lagged somewhat behind, accounting for a further 38%.

In value terms, Germany ($996M), the UK ($689M), and France ($431M) were the countries with the highest levels of market value, with a combined 47% share of the total market (IndexBox estimates).

These same countries feature among the key importers of chips. France ($245M), Germany ($197M), and the Netherlands ($165M) constitute the markets with the highest levels of imports, together comprising 45% of EU imports. The UK, Ireland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Poland, and Portugal lagged somewhat behind, holding a further 38%.

The countries with the highest levels of potato chips annual per capita consumption include the Netherlands (11 kg per person), Sweden (7 kg per person), and Germany (6 kg per person).

During the COVID-19 pandemic and the related lockdown, consumers tend to visit shops and malls less often and stock up on purchases for future use. However, Europeans did not reduce their consumption of potato chips tangibly.

This is confirmed by the fact that the production of chips in the largest EU countries quickly recovered after a short-term drop caused by the pandemic. In April-May 2020, there was indeed a decline in the production of potato chips against the lockdown background, but the fall’s depth differs from country to country. In France, over April-May 2020, there was a strong decline in production volumes, while in Germany, after a slight reduction in April, production started to recover immediately in May. Afterward, the production fluctuated within its common seasonal trend pattern.

Based on 2020 data, the potato chips market is less affected by the pandemic than many other food industries. The market shows resistance to the crisis due to the stability of consumer demand for this product, meaning the market is expected to remain solid in the medium term.

Driven by increasing demand for potato chips in the European Union, the market is expected to continue an upward consumption trend over the next decade. Market performance is forecast to retain its current trend pattern, expanding with an anticipated CAGR of +0.6% for the period from 2019 to 2030, projected to bring the market volume to 2M tonnes by the end of 2030.

Source:IndexBox AI Platform

The European Potato Chips Market Retains Growth Despite the Pandemic (2024)

FAQs

Who is driving the growth of the potato chip industry? ›

“Factors that are driving the growth of the U.S. potato chips market are increased consumption of snacks in the U.S., availability of various flavors of potato chips, cost-effectiveness of potato chips, and consistent launches of a variety of potato chips.

What is the market research on potato chips? ›

What is the estimated value of the Global Potato Chips Market? The Global Potato Chips Market was estimated to be valued at $32.2 Billion in 2021.

Why was potato chips a mistake? ›

George Crum, who was a chef at the Moon's Lake House in New York, accidentally invented potato chips in 1853. After a guest at the restaurant kept returning potato fries, claiming that they weren't crisp enough, Crum sliced the potatoes thinly, fried them in hot oil and added salt.

Why have potato chips gone up so much in price? ›

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of a 16-ounce bag of potato chips has increased from $5.04 to $5.49. Yahoo! News says the soaring price of cooking oils is one of the reasons potato chips are more expensive.

What is the market growth rate of chips? ›

The growth rate of the Global Potato Chips Market is 3.1%, with an estimated value of $40.03 Billion by 2028.

Who are the main consumers of potato chips? ›

Potato Crisps/Potato Chips Consumption Per Country

While 86% of consumers throughout the US and France consume potato crisps/potato chips, closely followed by 84% of GB consumers, China is at the far end of the scale with only 28% consumption.

What are the problems in potato chips industry? ›

Important problems in chip industry include the production and maintenance of suitable tubers, the disposal of wastes from peeling, trimming, and washing operations, and the elimination of undesirable oils and odors that escape through the stacks used to carry away the vapors from the cookers.

How did potato chips become popular? ›

In the 1920s, a traveling salesman named Herman Lay was peddling potato chips to Southern grocers out of the trunk of his car. His widespread success helped popularize the snack and Lay's potato chips became the first successfully marketed national brand.

How much is the potato chip market worth in the US? ›

North America Potato Chips and Crisps Market was worth USD 12.42 billion in 2022 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 4.4%, to reach USD 15.41 billion by 2028.

Why are chips worse than potatoes? ›

Acrylamide is a chemical created in certain foods that are cooked at high temperatures. Because chips are sliced so thin and fried so hot, they're even heavier in acrylamide than French fries (which, sadly, 7 out of 9 experts warn against).

Are potato chips the worst snack? ›

Potato chips

Potato chips lack any significant nutritional value, therefore are empty calories, period. They're also are high in fat, and low in fiber and protein.

Is potato chips made for revenge? ›

In retaliation, Crum sliced the spuds as thinly as he could, fried them in oil with some salt, and turned them into crispy potatoes. Vanderbilt loved them, and the chef's revenge turned out to be the genesis of one of America's most popular snack foods.

Did the chip shortage cause inflation? ›

“Semiconductor components are critical to automobile production today,” says Hainlin. “With production delayed due to a lack of available chips, the supply of vehicles dropped and prices rose.” Higher costs for new and used cars were another major contributor to the rapid increase in the overall inflation rate.

How bad is the potato shortage? ›

A big drop in US potato production is exacerbating a worldwide spud shortage, as disruptions to potato supply chains impact places as far-flung as North America, Asia, and Africa. US potato production in 2021 was 7% below the five-year average.

What makes chips expensive? ›

There are only so many of them made. Demand is usually high because everyone wants to try the new or unique flavor. With high demand and low supply, potato chip manufacturers can make their specialty chips expensive.

Is the chip supply improving? ›

The Auto Chip Shortage Remains, But It May Be Improving

Automotive manufacturers are still dealing with the effects of the microchip shortage that began in 2020.

Why are chips in short supply? ›

While the COVID-19 pandemic was the initial catalyst for the chip shortage, structural factors were also part of the picture. Fundamentally, the auto industry is changing, with a major shift toward automation and electric vehicles. These require yet more chips, causing further strain on an already stretched industry.

Is there a chip shortage in the market? ›

Cars account for 15% of global chip consumption, while personal electronics account for around 50%. Chip revenues are even more skewed towards non-automotive sectors. The chip shortage is expected to cost the global automotive industry US$210 billion in revenue in 2021.

What country consumes the most chips? ›

Another report cites that 86% of the people in both the United States and France eat potato chips/crisps. This figure makes them the two largest consumers.

Which country buys the most chips? ›

Imported Potato Chips by Country
RankImporterUS$
1United States$277,780,000
2France$229,262,000
3Germany$181,959,000
4Canada$137,424,000
6 more rows

How many Americans eat potato chips? ›

Consumption of potato chips in the U.S. 2020

According to this statistic, 284.37 million Americans consumed potato chips in 2020.

How bad are potato chips for the environment? ›

Eating a single bag of potato chips uses approximately 137 gallons of water, equivalent to the water used in a 50 minute shower. The creation and transportation of each bag also produces 10.6 ounces of CO2e, greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming as much as carbon dioxide does.

What affects the quality of potato chips? ›

Main specifications of potato chips quality are: calor, fat content, taste, odor and texture, characteristic crispy texture has become one of their essential quality feature and perhaps the most attractive one as far the success on the market is taken into account.

How much is the potato chip industry worth? ›

The market size, measured by revenue, of the Potato Chip Production industry was $11.1bn in 2022.

What is the biggest selling potato chip? ›

In 2021-2022, Lay's was by far the most popular potato chip brand in America. It represented over 41% of the market for potato chips. Ruffles and Pringles, with respective market shares of 18% and 13%, were the next two leading competitors. In addition to PepsiCo, Inc.

What is potato chips known for? ›

A potato chip (North American English and Australian English; often just chip) or crisp (British and Irish English) is a thin slice of potato that has been deep fried, baked, or air fried until crunchy. They are commonly served as a snack, side dish, or appetizer.

Who was the first person to sell potato chips? ›

William Tappendon of Cleveland, Ohio, is credited with taking the potato chips out of the restaurant and into the grocery stores. In 1895, he began selling potato chips to local grocers and turned his barn into the world's first potato chips factory.

What is America's number one chip? ›

Doritos is the most popular chip brand in America. They're produced by Frito-Lay.

How profitable are potato chips? ›

C-store salty snacks had average gross margins of 40.83% in 2021, up 0.93% year on year (y-o-y). In 2021, gross profit increased 13.9% over 2020, averaging USD3,231 per store, per month, while gross margin contribution increased 0.26% y-o-y to 5.19%.

What is the best way to sell potato chips? ›

You can sell chips by the bag, tin or in bulk to grocery and snack suppliers, through an ecommerce website like a Shopify store, as well as online marketplaces and social media. Shopify allows you to connect your store to your social accounts, so you can tag your products in your posts.

Is chips or fries healthier? ›

Nutrition Comparison
Serving 100gPotato ChipsFrench Fries
Calories547274
Carbs49.74g35.71g
Fat37.47g14.08g
Protein6.56g3.49g

Why chips are unhealthy? ›

Most chips are deep-fried, a process that creates trans fats, the most dangerous type. In addition, the oils used for frying chips are often saturated fats, which also contribute to high cholesterol levels.

What happens if you eat too much potato chips? ›

If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease, and kidney disease," says Dr. Parcells. Other long-term side effects of eating a lot of chips are weight gain, trouble sleeping, dry skin, kidney disease, headaches, and inflammation.

What is the most unhealthy food in the world? ›

Here are top 10 unhealthy foods that extremely harmful for your health:
  • Sugar. How many times have you been advised to cut down on sugar? ...
  • Soft drinks. Carbonated soft drinks are one of the biggest sources of added sugar and caffeine in the diet. ...
  • Refined carbohydrates. ...
  • Alcohol. ...
  • Potato crisps. ...
  • Margarine. ...
  • Canned soups. ...
  • Doughnuts.
Nov 6, 2022

Are chips worse than ice cream? ›

Ice Cream Versus Potato Chips

You're definitely avoiding sugar with a serving of these popular potato chips, but are actually consuming more calories and fat than in one serving of vanilla bean or chocolate ice cream!

Are potato chips worse than candy? ›

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has stated that starchy foods may even be worse for your teeth than candy because of the length of time they stay on teeth long after snacking has ended.

Are potato chips pork? ›

Potato chips are, you guessed it, made from potatoes that are peeled and sliced into thin pieces before being fried in oil until they're crisp. Pork rinds, on the other hand, are made from pig skin and are typically fried or baked.

How long before chip shortage is over? ›

The global chip shortage could be over by 2024—that's the best-case scenario. However, it could take longer than that to be resolved. On the bright side, electric vehicle production is expected to increase significantly over the next few months despite the global chip shortage.

What is causing the US inflation? ›

As the labor market tightened during 2021 and 2022, core inflation rose as the ratio of job vacancies to unemployment increased. This ratio is used to measure wage pressures that then pass through to the prices for goods and services. As workers bargain for better pay, firms begin to increase prices.

Is the supply chain causing inflation? ›

There's a new inflation warning for consumers coming from the supply chain. Warehouses and distribution centers are pushing rates higher, with U.S. storage prices up 1.4% month-over-month and nearly 11% year-over-year.

Is there a potato shortage in USA? ›

United States potato production came in at 397 million cwt for 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Idaho planted fewer acres and yields were down overall in the U.S., leading to their reduced crop. Because of this shortfall, it's causing a shortage across the continent.

Why does McDonald's have a potato shortage? ›

According to the fast-food chain, there was a poor harvest of the kind of potatoes needed to make French Fries and that has resulted in the shortage.

Is there really a food shortage in the United States? ›

Access to Food

A: There are currently no nationwide shortages of food, although in some cases the inventory of certain foods at your grocery store might be temporarily low before stores can restock.

What chips are eaten the most? ›

Here are the most-consumed chips in the U.S. according to U.S. Census data via Statista:
  • Lay's Classic. Number of consumers per year (2020): 163.93 million.
  • Lay's wavy. Consumers: 60.94 million.
  • Ruffles. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Ruffles ) ...
  • Pringles. Consumers: 53.76 million.
  • Kettle. ...
  • Lay's Baked. ...
  • Cape Cod. ...
  • Utz.
Jun 2, 2023

Why are chips so yellow? ›

First of all, guess where that golden yellow colour often comes from? In the case of something like fries, it can be a corn-based dextrose sugar coating. Fries are literally starchy white carbs, covered in sugar, deep fried in saturated fat.

Why are chips so addictive? ›

Potato chips are best known for two things: salt and fat. Studies have shown that eating salt triggers the release of dopamine, a chemical messenger that controls your brain's pleasure center. Once your brain gets that first reward hit, it starts craving more.

Who is the largest producer of potato chips? ›

The market for fried potato chips is largely controlled by Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP). Lay's, Miss Vickie's, Red Rock Deli, Ruffles, and Munchos are the company's top-selling potato chip brands. In 2021-2022, Lay's was by far the most popular potato chip brand in America.

Who is the world leader in potato production? ›

Potato production (FAOSTAT, 2021) – metric tonnes World total: 376 million
1. China94,362,175
2. India54,230,000
3. Ukraine21,356,320
4. USA18,582,370
5. Russian Federation18,295,535
6 more rows
Jan 21, 2023

Who are the largest potato growers in the world? ›

China and India are the main producers of potatoes, with the United States ranked fourth among the leading potato producers worldwide. In the United States, Idaho topped the ranking of leading potato producing states, with an annual production amount of about 121 million cwt of potatoes in 2022.

Who is the worlds largest potato supplier? ›

Countries by Potato Production. Worldwide 370,436,581 tonnes of potato is produced per year. China is the largest potato producer in the world with 91,881,397 tonnes production per year.

Who eats the most chips in the world? ›

Another report cites that 86% of the people in both the United States and France eat potato chips/crisps. This figure makes them the two largest consumers.

What is the number one potato chip in America? ›

Doritos is the most popular chip brand in America. They're produced by Frito-Lay.

What are the most bought chips in the world? ›

Lay's Chips

With that said, it's safe to say that Lay's is the best-selling potato chip brand in the world.

What country eats the most potatoes? ›

The top ranked country, China, accounted for 27.0 % of potato consumption in the world. The top 3 countries hold a 46.7 % share while the ten largest countries some 64.6 % in 2020.

Who produces the most potatoes USA? ›

Idaho is known for its potatoes for good reason — it produces the most of any state in the U.S., according to the Agriculture Marketing Resource Center. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture reports that the state cultivates one-third of the potatoes grown in the United States on more than 300,000 acres.

Who is the biggest potato buyer? ›

The largest importers of potatoes are Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain.
No.CountryValue in 2020 [USD thousand]
1Belgium616,125
2Netherlands340,144
3Spain314,118
4United States of America285,707
46 more rows
Feb 17, 2022

Is the Boise Idaho potato real? ›

Is it suited more for classic French fries or a mega-sized cheesy scalloped potato dish? We may never know. All jokes aside, the giant potato is real... well, it's not a real potato, it's the retired spokespotato of the Idaho Potato Commission's Big Idaho Potato Tour – and you can stay the night inside of it!

Who are the richest potato farmers? ›

J.R. Simplot, the kid who grew up on a dusty Declo, Idaho, farm, is now a driven 89-year-old and one of the 100 richest people in the world. The Simplot Co. has 12,000 employees worldwide and annual revenue of $2.8 billion. Yes, it is famous for its potatoes.

What potato farms does Bill Gates own? ›

Gates also owns 14,000 acres in Washington's Columbia Basin that produces potatoes for McDonald's french fries, which operates as 100 Circle Farms. A 2021 LandReport.com story lists Gates' farmland holdings at more than 240,000 acres.

Are Irish potatoes Irish? ›

Potatoes are native to the Andes Mountains of South America. We call them Irish potatoes because the potato was first brought back to Europe in the 1500's and developed as a crop there. The Irish immigrants brought the culture of potato to the United States.

Who makes the most french fries? ›

McCain Foods is the world's largest manufacturer of frozen french fries and other potato specialities.

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