A new lunchtime trend – ‘the glamwich’ – has been emerging as more and more Brits are making their own packed lunches at home.

According to new research from cheese brand Pilgrims Choice, 69% of Brits now make a packed lunch, up 45% on pre-recession figures, with 48% making a sandwich.

Of those consumers who make their own lunch, almost half (47%) said they ‘pimped up’ their sandwich by changing the fillings to make it more exciting, said the firm.

Saving money was a key reason behind the rise in homemade packed lunches, with the average consumer saving around £29 a month by making their own, according to Pilgrims Choice.

The study also revealed that one-third of all consumers (32%) were using high-quality cheese to add glamour to a sandwich. A fifth (21%) bought “more interesting bread”, while one in 10 sandwich-makers were adding ingredients such as olives or pesto.

Twelve per cent said they tried to replicate sandwiches they had bought or seen in shops, while 18% had a preference for adding sweet chilli sauce to their packed lunch.

Alastair Jackson, marketing director at Pilgrims Choice, said: “You only need to look at popular television shows, such as MasterChef, Come Dine With Me and Great British Bake Off to see that there is a huge consumer appetite for all things foodie and why should this stop when eating ‘al desko’.

“This research illustrates that, as we celebrate the 250th year of the sandwich, consumers are taking sandwich-making to a new level. There is now a renewed interest in not only the content but also a need to make presentation ever more appealing.”

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