Bananas among Sainsbury’s 2021 food trends 

Bananas made it to the category of UK retailer Sainsbury’s 2021’s top food and drink trends. Using data taken from its 17.5 million loyalty card customers, the grocer has revealed which products took centre stage in a year which began with Veganuary, that saw 16% more shoppers buying plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, compared to 2020. May saw a return to on-the-go purchases with sandwich sales up 160% and salads, sushi and snacking products up 177%. Sainsbury’s Great Fruit and Veg Challenge in June saw customers purchasing more than 7.7 million bunches of bananas over the month, with Londoners named as the top banana buyers in 2021.

Sainsbury’s shoppers were trying to eat healthier for much of the year, buying over 6 billion portions of fruit and vegetables throughout the year. Carrots were the standout favourite, with over 375 million portions sold – which works out as five carrots for every person in the UK.