Is cheese and onion your king of crisps?

Cheese and onion has been crowned Britain's favourite crisp flavour after seeing a sharp increase in sales.

New research from Mintel published today shows the market for cheese and onion crisps is now worth £265 million, with sales increasing 15 per cent in the last two years.

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Ready salted crisps slipped into second place despite an increase in sales of five per cent and salt and vinegar took the bronze medal after seeing sales fall seven per cent between 2006 and 2008.

Prawn cocktail flavour also saw sales drop by seven per cent while relatively new flavour, beef, grew sharply, by ten per cent, in the two-year period.

Commenting on the findings, Emmanuelle Bouvier, a senior market analyst, said: "Though in years past Brits have been loyal to the original crisp flavour ready salted, cheese and onion has now overtaken it as the nation's favourite crisp.

"Interestingly, despite the on-going development of new and exciting flavours, the traditional favourites still win hands-down. In fact, cheese and onion, ready salted and salt and vinegar, still account for almost two thirds of sales of standard crisps.

"What is more, most new launches continue to focus on ready salted and salt and vinegar, which were the most popular flavours in terms of new product development last year."

Having experienced a slowdown in sales between 2003 and 2006, crisps and snacks experienced a recovery during 2007 and 2008, today's report states.

Last year, for example, sales grew by five per cent as Britain made its was through £23.5 billion worth of snacks.

Analysts claim the market has benefitted from manufacturers improving health profiles, with the development of baked crisps and the increased use of sunflower oil.

"The rate of innovation in the crisps and snacks market remains high, and this is a driving factor in sales growth," Ms Bouvier adds.

"In recent years we have seen new products move away from a reduced fat, salt and additives positioning towards 'natural' and 'premium' claims."