With so many different takeaways on offer, and new ones popping up all the time, you’d be excused for thinking that the humble sandwich has had its day. This just isn’t the case though, as a study done earlier this year by Ginger Research on behalf of Heinz [Seriously] Good Mayo showed.
The study showed that the simple sandwich continues to be the favourite lunch in the UK. Not only that, a surprising 56% of us consume at least one sandwich each day. A third even have the same filling day after day as well.
Apparently the average person in the UK will eat a total of 18,304 sandwiches during their lifetime. Whilst not all of these are takeaways, the British do spend an impressive average of £48,339 each on sandwiches.
Some of the reasons we love a sandwich so much are its convenience (it’s very portable), its versatility (you can put almost any filling in it) and it fills us up nicely.
So what are Brits putting in their sandwiches? The BLT is still the nation’s favourite, with chicken mayo coming second, followed by bacon with ketchup or brown sauce, and then cheese and pickle. Most prefer white bread with the crusts still on, cut diagonally and with plenty of salad stuffed in too.
From plain cheese to the more exotic Sandwich fillings
There are still plenty of us that prefer rather more exotic sandwiches though. Since the sandwich was first invented in the eighteenth century by the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, consisting of “meat tucked between two pieces of bread”, both retailers and consumers have been getting more inventive regarding what they put between their slices.
From leftover roast dinners, lasagne and Chinese or curry take-aways, to cream cheese and jam or cheese and marmalade, and even onion rings with tomato sauce, it seems that the British will put almost anything in a sandwich.
Along with the development of the sandwich itself, sandwich packaging has evolved significantly too. We no longer need to put up with a sandwich that has either dried out or gone soggy or squished in a bit of cling film. Wedge shaped plastic containers now keep our standard diagonal cut sandwiches in immaculate condition until we are ready to devour them, and you can now also get packaging to suit all shapes and sizes of sandwiches, from wraps to baguettes and bloomers and even mini sandwich platters.
The advent of recyclable packaging has also been a welcome addition, helping to reduce the overall impact that sandwich packaging has on the environment. Consumers are becoming more demanding about what their takeaway sandwiches are presented in as well as what is in the sandwiches themselves.
Those who are offering takeaway sandwiches in their cafes and shops don’t need to worry about the demand for sandwiches decreasing, but with so much competition around they do need to make sure the sandwiches they offer stand out in terms of quality and presentation whilst still keeping them affordable. If you’re a retailer offering sandwiches to the public, why not take a look at our range of sandwich packaging to see how you can best present your wares without breaking the bank.