Brits are buying more tinned pies and meat during pandemic

As we're increasingly turning to comfort food and snacks during this seemingly-endless lockdown, sales of tinned pies, meat and processed meats in England have soared, as plant-based eating trends slowed towards the end of 2020.

Perhaps this was due to these tinned, long-life options having a lower price and longer shelf life than their fresh counterparts, or it could've been down to the insane 'stockpiling' that took place during the first lockdown.

Whatever the reason, it seems like it was a significant shift in our eating and buying habits. According to consumer analyst company Mintel, the number of Brits limiting or not eating meat at all fell from 51% in 2019 to 41% in 2020.

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Mintel also discovered that sales of canned meats and pies such as Spam rose by around 22%, while processed meat sales also went up by around 18% in the same time period, along with a 9% increase in the sales of sliced poultry and meats, such as bacon.

Edward Bergen of Mintel explains the shift in buying trends: “Prior to the Covid outbreak, the meat reduction trend was gaining considerable momentum. However, the huge disruption, uncertainty and stress caused by the pandemic have caused a relaxation around some health and ethics-driven habits.”

So, with Veganuary in full swing, it would be interesting to see if these buying habits remain for much of 2021, or whether they will go back to 2019 levels. Whichever way you look at it, however, it's clear that we're still a nation of comfort eaters in times of crisis.