The long-held belief in eating three meals a day continues to erode. Now, more than a third of consumers globally say they snack regularly, with the figure rising to just over 40 percent for millennials or people aged 18-34, according to consumer insight firm Canadean.

In a recent report, the researchers found consumers snack for a variety of reasons such as the functional need for an energy or nutritional boost, the psychological need to de-stress or indulge, and needs dictated by occasion, such as watching a movie, attending a sporting event, or socializing with friends.