Tomato ketchup and brown sauce have long had a place on British dining tables.
But in many households they are being replaced by spicier alternatives, a new reporter has shown.
Trade magazine The Grocer has reported that despite hefty investment, Heinz Tomato Ketchup has suffered a 7 per cent decline in volume sales over the past year.
The famous HP brown sauce saw volume sales down 5.8 per cent. Branston’s sauce range suffered an even steeper decline of 9 per cent.
Favourites like tomato ketchup and HP sauce are less popular with spicier saucers taking over our taste buds
But further analysis suggests that budget-conscious shoppers could have been put off Heinz Ketchup by an average price rise of 11.1 per cent.
The average prices of others grew by 3.9per cent for the sauces and condiments market.
The Grocer said: ‘Nothing could be more British than a bacon sarnie with brown sauce, or fish and chips served up with a good dollop of tomato ketchup. But times are changing.’
‘Britains biggest ketchup and brown sauce brands – Heinz, HP and Branston – have struggled to cut the mustard in the past year suffering volume declines.
Yet the sauces and coniments market in general is not in bad shape with value up 4.3 per cent on volumes up 1.1 per cent.
It reported growth in sales of chilli and ‘other ethnic sauces’.
It added: ‘Mayonnaise and dressings are outgrowing ketchup and brown sauce too.’
In an attempt to boost sales, Heinz has added Mexican Chilli Ketchup and Sweet Chilli Ketchup to its range.
Heinz says it has been attempting to shake up the category by tapping growing demand for spicier flavours and more premium sauces.
Marketing manager Lucy Cawkwell said: ‘Consumers are becoming more and more experimental in their choices.’
Source: DailyMail