Sales of baked beans rise by 11%

Over the last year 85% of people picked up a tin of beans when out food shopping. And while for many years baked beans came only in a simple tomato sauce, today consumers can tuck into a much wider range which include beans with Cumberland sausage, fresh herbs or even added Omega 3. Organic, low salt and low sugar versions are also available. Vivianne Ihekuweazu, senior consumer analyst at MINTEL, explained the possible reasons behind this hike in sales: "The latest shift towards healthy eating and cooking fresh food would have relegated baked beans to the back of the kitchen cupboard, but instead manufacturers have used these trends to their advantage." She continued: "The introduction of more upmarket recipes as well as new varieties that are better for you, means that even after all these years, baked beans are still a regular fixture at mealtimes across the UK." Meanwhile sales for canned pasta such as spaghetti hoops and ravioli dropped by 8% over the same two year period to just £99 million in 2007. Predictions for 2012 show that beans will see a 27% growth, and sales of canned pasta will increase by 12%. Weblink: www.mintel.com