Lay’s was America’s favorite potato chip brand by a wide margin in 2021/2022. Lay’s accounted for nearly 41 percent of the potato chip market. The next largest contenders were Ruffles and Pringles, with 18 and 13 percent share of the market, respectively. Frito Lay, the producers of both Lay’s and Ruffles, was the leading company in potato chips in 2018, with sales over five times greater than the next competitor. The company’s collection of potato chip brands control nearly 60 percent of the U.S. potato chip market.

Frito Lay’s history

Frito Lay is a subsidiary of Pepsico that mainly focuses on snack foods like potato chips. The company was formed in 1961 and merged with the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1965 to form Pepsico. Since then it has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pepsico.

Lay’s consumers

Recent estimates put the number of Lay’s consumers at over 160 million Americans, not counting the variations on the original flavor. Of those consumers, 136 million eat 1-3 bags of the chips a month, with 14 million eating eight or more bags.

The global potato chips market size reached USD 35.2 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 44.0 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5% during 2025-2033. The market is growing rapidly, driven by changing consumer preferences, rapid innovation in flavors and packaging, significant growth in retail channels, rising disposable income across the globe, and the escalating urbanization activities that are influencing consumer lifestyle and purchasing behavior.

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the global, and country levels for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on product type and distribution channel.

The Report Covers Global Potato Chips Market Size & Revenue Share. The Market is Segmented by Product Type (Fried and Baked), Flavor (Plain/Salted and Flavored), Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Online Retail Stores, and Other Distribution Channels), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East, and Africa). The Report Offers Market Size and Values in USD Million During the Forecast Period for the Above Segments.

In financial year 2023, Lays had the highest market share of 30 percent among the potato chip companies in India. This was followed by Bingo and Balaji, with a 10 percent market share each during the same period.

This statistic shows the market share of the leading vendors of potato chips in the United States in 2018, based on dollar sales. For the 52 weeks ending April 22, 2018, Frito Lay was the leading potato chips vendor in the United States with a sales share of over 60 percent.

In 2020, the market value of potato chips in the Asian-Pacific market was estimated to be worth 12.9 billion U.S dollars, making it the largest market for potato chips among all regions. The North-American region was the second largest market for potato chips, with an estimated value of 10.9 billion U.S dollars in 2020. North-America was forecast to remain the second largest region for potato chips in 2026, with a predicted value of 12.5 billion U.S dollars. By contrast, the Asian-Pacific region was forecast to grow much larger, reaching a predicted value of 23.4 billion U.S dollars in 2026.

The report covers Global Fried Potato Chips Companies and the market is Segmented by Flavor (Plain, Salted, and Flavored), Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Online Retail Stores, and Other Distribution Channels), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle-East and Africa). The market size and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD) for the above segments.

For the fifth year in a row, the UK potato chips market recorded growth in sales value, which increased by 3.8% to $823M in 2024. The market value increased at an average annual rate of +2.5% over the period from 2012 to 2024; the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded in certain years. Over the period under review, the market attained the peak level in 2024 and is likely to see gradual growth in the immediate term.

Global Potato Chips Market reached USD 32.1 billion in 2022 and is projected to witness lucrative growth by reaching up to USD 42.2 billion by 2031

The report covers Potato Chips in Qatar and is Segmented by Type (Fried and Baked Potato Chips), Flavor (Plain and Salted, and Flavored), and Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Online Retail Stores, and Other Distribution Channels).

PepsiCo, owner of the Lay's brand had 50 percent of the potato chips market in India in 2016. Balaji Wafers followed at 16 percent while ITC ranked third. The country's potato chip market was valued at nearly 2.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, growing at 18.7 percent to reach 5.5 billion dollars by 2022.

The salty snack market

In India’s processed food market, snacks make up a share of almost 20 percent. The per capita consumption of snacks differs by region and was the highest in the southern region of the country. The salty snack market, to which potato chips belonged, was estimated to witness a high value growth.

From plant to the packet

The main ingredient of chips continues to be potatoes. India is a fertile ground for potato production. After China, the subcontinent is the largest producer of potatoes worldwide. Indian farmers are incentivized for potato crop productions, due to a high profitability of potato crops. This reflected in its economic contribution, despite. Production volumes of potatoes remaining relatively stable over the years.

Global Potato Chips Market size was evaluated at $35.17 billion in 2023 and is slated to hit $47.22 billion by the end of 2032 with a CAGR of 3.32%.

The German potato chips market contracted to $1.1B in 2024, with a decrease of -12.4% against the previous year. Overall, consumption, however, saw a relatively flat trend pattern. As a result, consumption reached the peak level of $1.2B, and then contracted in the following year.

Type: Fried, BakedCategory: Organic, RegularFlavor: Flavored, Plain/SaltedDistribution Channel: Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Online Recent developments include: February 2024: PepsiCo India launched a sub brand under its main brand, Lay’s Shapez, which is a heart-shaped potato-based pellet format. Lay’s Shapez Heartiez portfolio includes masala flavor in addition to caramel flavor. This marks Lay’s foray into the sweet-flavored chip segment. The company aims to expand its potato chip snack portfolio with the launch of new products., April 2023: Astar Network and Calbee Inc. partnered to launch an innovative NFT chip campaign. The campaign will be housed on the Astar blockchain and will feature changing NFTs modeled after the well-known Calbee potato chips., March 2023: PepsiCo launched a crop intelligence model for India in collaboration with Cropin. unveiled a crop- and plot-level predictive intelligence model under the "Lay's" brand to assist farmers in maximizing potato yields and quality through useful dashboards on user-friendly mobile apps., October 2022: KP Snacks has announced the launch of its reformulated non-HFSS (high in fat, salt, and sugar) popchips portfolio. The whole line of popchips, which includes the time-honored favorites Sea Salt, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Barbeque, and Sour Cream & Onion, is being published into stores in advance of legislation being filed.. Notable trends are: Chocolate's health benefits and the popularity of convenience meals are driving the market growth.

In 2024, the Qatari potato chips market decreased by -51.2% to $1.3M, falling for the fourth consecutive year after six years of growth. In general, consumption, however, continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. Potato chips consumption peaked at $9.1M in 2020; however, from 2021 to 2024, consumption failed to regain momentum.

The size and share of the market is categorized based on product (Plain, Barbecue, Sour Cream & Onion, Salt & Vinegar, Others) and Application (Supermarket, Convenience Store, Online, Other) and geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle-East and Africa).

The market size of the GCC Countries Potato Chips Market is categorized based on Type (Plain Chips, Flavored Chips;) and Application (Online Retail, Supermarkets-Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores;) and geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle-East and Africa).

This report provides insights into the market size and forecasts the value of the market, expressed in USD million, across Deze gedefinieerde segmenten.

The size and share of the market is categorized based on Type (Classic Potato Chips, Flavored Potato Chips, Low-Fat Potato Chips, Baked Potato Chips) and Application (Snack Foods, Fast Food Restaurants, Retail Distribution, Food Service) and geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle-East and Africa).

The global potato chips market, valued at $42.25 billion in 2025, is projected to experience robust growth, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key drivers. Rising disposable incomes, particularly in developing economies, are increasing consumer spending on convenient and readily available snack foods like potato chips. Furthermore, the proliferation of innovative flavors and product formats (such as baked chips catering to health-conscious consumers) is broadening the market appeal. Aggressive marketing campaigns and strategic product placement in retail channels also contribute significantly to market growth. However, fluctuating potato prices and increasing health concerns regarding high sodium and fat content pose significant restraints. The market is segmented by flavor (plain/salted, flavored) and product type (fried, baked), with the flavored segment expected to witness faster growth driven by evolving consumer preferences. Regional analysis indicates strong performance in the APAC region, driven primarily by India and China's burgeoning middle class and rising snack food consumption. North America and Europe also maintain substantial market shares, although growth rates might be slightly slower compared to APAC. Competition within the market is intense, with major players like PepsiCo, Kellogg's, and McCain Foods employing various competitive strategies including product diversification, brand building, and strategic acquisitions to maintain their market positions. These companies face challenges in navigating fluctuating raw material costs, evolving consumer preferences, and increasingly stringent health regulations. The forecast period (2025-2033) is expected to witness continued growth, although at a potentially moderated pace due to the aforementioned restraints. The market is likely to see further innovation in terms of healthier alternatives, such as reduced-fat or organic potato chips, to cater to the growing demand for healthier snack options. Successful players will need to focus on sustainable sourcing, efficient supply chain management, and adaptive marketing strategies to capitalize on emerging market trends and maintain a competitive edge in this dynamic and evolving landscape. The baked potato chip segment is likely to experience a relatively higher growth rate compared to the fried segment owing to increasing health consciousness among consumers.

The size and share of the market is categorized based on Type (Baked, Fried) and Application (Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores) and geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle-East and Africa).