Sales of spuds soar as many opt for back to basics meals

SALES of jacket potatoes, butter and full-fat products have soared this year as consumers turn away from ultra-processed foods and seek out flavour, according to Waitrose.

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The upmarket supermarket said it had seen a “fundamental change” in how customers shopped, influenced heavily by concerns over UPFs and the rise in weight-loss jabs.

Among this year's “trends” have been what the supermarket describes as the “great carb comeback" with sales soaring for everything from beans to bread as an “obsession” with gut health and plant-based eating led consumers back to the importance of fibre.

Sales of large potatoes are up by a third at Waitrose on this time last year, while searches for “jacket potato” on Waitrose.com are up 178%.