Food ingredients sales boosted by Great British Bake Off

Consumers spent an additional £12.5M a month during the time GBBO ​was being aired – a total of £31.4M extra during the 10-week series.

More than £3M was spent on shop-bought cakes by consumers during this time.

Up to 59% of British people have been inspired to bake more after watching GBBO, ​claimed Kindred.

This number rose to 79% among 25–34 year-olds – over 300,000 young people across the UK, according to Kindred’s Bakenomics​ report. People aged 16–24 were baking more often than those aged over 55.

Twice as likely to bake​

Kindred identified Londoners as twice as likely to bake as people living in the north east of England, Northern Ireland and Yorkshire.

Kindred client service director Sam Holl said: “The Great British Bake Off is the cornerstone of water cooler conversation during September and October.​

“But whilst in the past many would say that baking is an older person’s hobby, our research proves quite the opposite.”​

Holl said that while the show is loved by consumers of all ages, it had a greater impact on baking habits of younger people.

Impact on baking habits​

However, with GBBO ​moving to Channel 4, ​Holl predicted that interest in the programme was going to wane.

“This means the onus is now on food brands to maintain the popularity of baking among younger people​ or on Channel 4 to do something that Chris Evans couldn’t do with Top Gear – be familiar and new in equal measure,”​ said Holl.

During the show’s run, more than 594,000 additional loaves of bread, cakes, pies, biscuits and other baked goods were made by the British public each week, said Kindred.

The final of the baking competition, hosted by celebrity bakers Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, airs this week (October 26).