Spam and sardines are back as the cost of living crisis makes cooks more frugal
The cost of living crisis has put home cooks on a war footing with a new 'thrifty' mindset that has boosted food supermarket sales in nostalgic preserves, including spam and pilchards, as well as cheap cuts such as fish heads.
With official figures showing food price inflation of nearly 15%, Waitrose said its customers were looking for conservative meal alternatives and making small degradations such as replacing sourdough with slices of white bread and olive oil for cheaper vegetable oil. /p>
In its annual food and drink report, Waitrose says spam sales, which cost £3 for a large can, have increased by 36% this year. If you're wondering what people do with these processed slices of pork and ham, searches for the recipe "smashed pea fritters spam" on his website have increased by over 80%.
Martyn Lee, the supermarket's executive chef, said the cost-of-living squeeze was prompting people to "think creatively" and explore more affordable cuts of meat and protein. His customers were also becoming more adventurous with their cooking and looking further afield for inspiration.
"Fish head soups and curries have long been popular in Asia," Lee said. “For Spam, social media also plays a role, as does a sense of nostalgia and novelty. After taking the initial step, people realize that it is actually a versatile ingredient. ”
With Britons forced to drastically change the way they shop during the Covid lockdowns, many had already fallen in love with tinned food with everything from corned beef to beans, pulses and fish enjoying unprecedented popularity since World War II rationing. The cause has also been aided by the advocacy of top food writers such as Jack Monroe.
The Waitrose Report, which is based on analysis of its data from sales for the past 12 months as well as a survey of 2,000 consumers, said three out of four shoppers were now more careful about what they spend...
The cost of living crisis has put home cooks on a war footing with a new 'thrifty' mindset that has boosted food supermarket sales in nostalgic preserves, including spam and pilchards, as well as cheap cuts such as fish heads.
With official figures showing food price inflation of nearly 15%, Waitrose said its customers were looking for conservative meal alternatives and making small degradations such as replacing sourdough with slices of white bread and olive oil for cheaper vegetable oil. /p>
In its annual food and drink report, Waitrose says spam sales, which cost £3 for a large can, have increased by 36% this year. If you're wondering what people do with these processed slices of pork and ham, searches for the recipe "smashed pea fritters spam" on his website have increased by over 80%.
Martyn Lee, the supermarket's executive chef, said the cost-of-living squeeze was prompting people to "think creatively" and explore more affordable cuts of meat and protein. His customers were also becoming more adventurous with their cooking and looking further afield for inspiration.
"Fish head soups and curries have long been popular in Asia," Lee said. “For Spam, social media also plays a role, as does a sense of nostalgia and novelty. After taking the initial step, people realize that it is actually a versatile ingredient. ”
With Britons forced to drastically change the way they shop during the Covid lockdowns, many had already fallen in love with tinned food with everything from corned beef to beans, pulses and fish enjoying unprecedented popularity since World War II rationing. The cause has also been aided by the advocacy of top food writers such as Jack Monroe.
The Waitrose Report, which is based on analysis of its data from sales for the past 12 months as well as a survey of 2,000 consumers, said three out of four shoppers were now more careful about what they spend...
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