Among the savoury pastries popular with British consumers, the sausage roll is king. But to maximise the opportunity they offer, producers and bakers need to stay close to consumer trends, says Ginsters.
Sausage rolls are the savoury pastry hero, and with 76% of the population expressing their love [Vypr/Ginsters], it’s little wonder there’s a dedicated National Sausage Roll Day on 5th June, to celebrate the UK’s passion for the savoury treat.
However, despite the high levels of consumer love (76%), findings from Ginsters’ research show that 43% admit they don’t add them to their shopping list [Vypr/Ginsters], so there’s potential to capture impulse purchases in-store. Sausage rolls are seen as a treat (71%), with 66% [Vypr/Ginsters] saying they are willing to pay more for good quality, providing great opportunity for trading up to better-quality options.
The importance of consumer insight
Listening to consumers helps brands and retailers understand evolving tastes, behaviour patterns and audience preferences. This is vital in creating relevant products and maintaining consumer satisfaction, and the knowledge can be used very effectively to inform and inspire product innovation, in-store display and marketing decisions.
Ginsters’ research reveals that sausage rolls are one of the nation’s No.1 snacks, with one in four Brits eating them each week, and more than half agreeing that golden pastry and a strong sausage-to-pastry ratio are critical when choosing a sausage roll [Vypr/Ginsters].
Being close to what consumers want also means understanding when behaviour changes create opportunities for products to fulfil new needs, such as the evolution of UK consumers’ working patterns since the pandemic, which has seen a 22% increase in working from home (WFH) lunches since pre-Covid [Kantar].
When it comes to broadening appeal to a younger audience, Ginsters’ insights [Opinium] also reveal that Gen Z is a generation of taste-seekers, who will be experimenting with different sauces and unique eating methods. This research inspired Ginsters to create its Breakfast Roll and more recently, the brand’s collaboration with Walker’s Extra Flaming Hot – creating a seriously spicy Ginsters Sausage Roll that sold out on TikTok in 7hrs and 30 minutes.
Why retailers should choose Ginsters
Ginsters’ innovation is always driven by consumer insights, to ensure top-notch pastries deliver exactly what consumers are looking for.
As the No.1 savoury pastry brand, with over 50 years’ baking experience – Ginsters has been crafting and perfecting its sausage rolls and, with 13 million made each year, the company is perfectly placed to lead this sub-category.
72% of consumers [Kantar] agree that the Ginsters Sausage Roll – the UK’s No.1 single sausage roll for many years [Wirral 2024] – offers an easy WFH lunch , inspiring Ginsters to drive greater distribution in convenience and meal deals.
As for quality, consumers can taste the effort Ginsters expert chefs put into crafting the very best sausage rolls, with 81 layers of golden puff pastry and distinct striations ensuring there are no gaps between the filling and pastry . Ginsters only ever uses 100% British pork with a distinct blend of herbs and is proud to maintain the best tasting sausage rolls by only using quality British ingredients with no added artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.
Weekly tasting panels see Ginsters’ expert taste testers constantly quality check to ensure each Ginsters Sausage Roll is baked to taste perfection to ensure enjoyment in every bite. The success of this iconic product lies in the award-winning taste, quality ingredients – and the Good Housekeeping Taste Approval Award was just one recognition of this [Good Housekeeping].
But the Ginsters story doesn’t end there – with more innovation in the pipeline and great quality and taste to shout about – there’s plenty for Ginsters to celebrate on June 5th – National Sausage Roll Day.
To find out more about Ginsters’ products go to www.ginsters.co.uk
