Most popular British dishes in Great Britain Q1 2024

In 2024, fish and chips along with roast chicken were the two most popular British dishes in Great Britain (GB). About 86 percent of survey respondents had a positive opinion of each of the two dishes. Chips closely followed with about 85 percent. 

Popularity of British dishes across generations

Fish and chips, the British dish that is perhaps best-known outside of GB, is very popular among British consumers across different generations. The dish, consisting of fried fish served with chips on the side, was the favorite British dish among surveyed baby boomers in GB. Furthermore, fish and chips was the third most popular dish among Generation X, with chips by themselves being tied for third place. Millennials like fish and chips a bit less than their Gen X counterparts, however, it takes the same spot in their generation's ranking: fourth. The traditional English breakfast, which typically consists of eggs, sausage, bacon, baked beans, grilled tomato, and toast, is particularly popular among Generation X, but less so, in relative terms, among the other two generations. 

Fish and seafood in the UK

While the annual expenditure on fish in the UK increased between 2014 and 2021, it significantly dropped the following year. In 2022, expenditure on fish in the UK amounted to approximately 4.33 billion British pounds, which is noticeably lower than it was in 2005. Simultaneously, the prices of fish have almost doubled during the last two decades. In 2003, the consumer price index (CPI) of fish in the UK was measured at 63.8, whereas in 2022 it had reached 127.7. In terms of seafood, the segment with the highest retail sales is chilled seafood. Chilled seafood makes up about 62 percent of all retail sales of seafood in the UK. Frozen seafood makes up about a quarter, whereas ambient seafood accounts for roughly 13 percent of seafood retail sales.