Home Baking Market Continues to Grow

The study, carried out by retail analyst Mintel, discovered that almost a quarter of the British public bakes at home at least once a week and one in 20 bake every day.

The market is now worth £1.7 billion, with the increase in popularity being attributed to cooking shows and consumers trying to save money.

Younger generations are the keenest bakers, with 79% of 16-24 year olds baking from scratch compared to just 70% of those aged 55 or over.

Emma Clifford, senior food analyst at Mintel, said, “Home baking is one of the few food categories to have flourished during the recession, in fact the onset of the economic downturn actually helped to kick start the revival in home baking. With real incomes under strain, Britain has become more of a stay-at-home nation and consumers have sought low-cost activities such as baking to save money.

“But while the economic downturn may have helped to reignite interest in home baking, its revival cannot solely be attributed to economic pressures and it is clear that many Britons have embraced baking because of its enjoyment factor. The explosion in the media on the topic has made home baking more accessible than ever, drawing more novice cooks to the baking aisle and helping the more experienced to develop their baking prowess.”