Not only are we keen to try out European ingredients, with 46% of people who say they like to experiment with foreign produce, but 62% even incorporate them into traditional British dishes.
So why are British Foodies so open to European foods and wines? Because we’re looking for variety.
Gone are the days when British food was the butt of jokes for lacking imagination, now 58% of people think that the variety of British dishes matches that of their counterparts in Europe.
We’re also looking for quality. In fact, 91% of us state that the quality of the ingredients we use is important. And for women, the main assurance of quality is knowing where our food comes from, with 64% believing that origin matters. This is why labelling systems such as the PDO on food and the AOC or DOC appellation on wine are such important guides, providing an easily recognisable guarantee of quality.
This predilection for origin guaranteed ingredients is now so ingrained in the British psyche that it remains a key purchasing criterion, even during difficult economic times. As a result, key European products such as Parma Ham (+31%), Parmigiano-Reggiano (+22%), Burgundy wines (+20%), Ports and Douro wines (+1.6%) have all seen an increase in sales in the last two years, defying recession and ensuing market challenges.
The results are clear: quality, variety and origin of the food we eat and wines we drink is key, and that’s why European products with strong origin credentials are so widely incorporated in modern British cooking.
Source: Discover the Origin
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