The Hindu Business Line : <I>Pepper, fresh herbs sales soar in UK </I>

Healthy eating guidelines proposed by the Government and the Food Standards Agency in the UK have raised sales of pepper and fresh herbs in the seasoning markets, pushing down the consumption of salt.

Table and cooking salt have been the main casualties, losing 15 per cent and 17 per cent of volume sales, respectively over this two-year period, said the International Pepper Community (IPC) quoting from a report in FoodEast.com.

According to a research by Mintel, sales of fresh herbs look set to more than double (124 per cent) and pepper sales are expected to increase by 55 per cent.

Healthy growth

Over the past few years, the pepper sector has seen a healthy 5 per cent year-on-year growth following a particularly buoyant year in 2001 (30 per cent growth) due to high commodity prices. Indeed, in 2005 the market is set to be worth as much as £31 million, a third more than sluggish salt sales. What is more, volume is said to be increasing even faster, with market growth mainly being driven by sales of premium products, such as coarse and whole peppercorns.

A fresh look at the seasonings market shows that it is fresh herbs that have seen the most impressive growth in recent years. Back in 2000 sales of fresh herbs were worth just £17 million, accounting for the fourth largest share of the UK seasonings market. At this time dried herbs, seasonings and spices accounted for the largest market share, with salt in second place and pepper in third.

Fresh herbs

Although dried herbs, seasonings and spices still account for the greatest portion of the market (41 per cent), fresh herbs now make up the second largest share, with nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of market value in 2005. Indeed, between 2000 and 2005 sales of fresh herbs shot up by a tasty 124 per cent to reach £38 million. Pepper now stands in third place with just under a fifth (18 per cent) of the market, while salt sales have plummeted to fourth place with just 13 per cent and the remaining 12 per cent of the market is made up of curry powder.

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