Lower prices, longer shelf lives push canned food demand

Canned food is going to see a rise in demand as a recent report states that Britons are planning to buy more of them to keep costs down this winter. 

According to research conducted by international food and drink group Princes, a third (31 per cent) of British consumers are planning to buy more canned products over the next 12 months as the cost-of-living crisis continues to put a squeeze on finances. 

Those planning to buy more canned goods cited lower prices and longer shelf lives as the main motivations for doing so. The research is based on a survey of over 1,000 consumers. 

To save money on groceries, respondents said they were most likely to buy more dry pasta (46 per cent), rice (41 per cent), canned baked beans (40 per cent) and canned tomatoes (35 per cent). 

Over a third (33 per cent) said they plan to do more batch cooking, while 34 per cent stated they expect to add far more vegetables or pulses to main meals to make them go further. 

43 per cent highlighted that they believe canned grocery products cost the least to cook and are therefore an effective energy saving tactic as food becomes increasingly expensive. 

Planning director for Prince’s, Ruth Simpson, said the supplier planned to “do more to help families during the unprecedented cost of living crisis,” such as sharing recipes for cheap meals online and where to find low-cost ingredients. 

The news comes as Princes UK commits to sourcing and selling 100% sustainable and certified tuna from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) fisheries by the end of 2025. 

The Prince’s survey also found that British consumers were looking to reduce costs through ‘heating or eating’, a critical choice for shoppers amid the current energy and inflation crisis. 

It comes after Princes pledged in August this year that all UK-sold branded tuna will be sustainably sourced by 2025. It launched a roadmap toward achieving 100 percent sourcing of its U.K. Princes branded tuna from Marine Stewardship Council-certified sustainable fisheries by the end of 2025.