There are currently over 10,000 fish & chip shops in the UK with a market value estimated at a staggering £1.2bn. They serve around 382 million meals a year of which 167 million are just fish & chips. That’s six servings for everyone in the UK. In fact, 80% of people visit at least once a year and 22% of people visit every week! Whether enjoyed on a harbour-side dodging pesky seagulls, or impatiently snaffled from under the paper on the way home – it’s fair to say Brits love fish & chips, especially when covered in salt & vinegar.

Yet until recently most of the ‘vinegar’ served in chippies isn’t actually vinegar (let alone the UK’s no. 1 Malt Vinegar, Sarson’s). It’s something called Non-Brewed Condiment or NBC for short, a far cheaper synthetic product (we know – shocker!). Don’t believe me watch this QI clip here.

The good news is, that since jellybean have been working with Sarson’s over the past three years on their fish and chip shop marketing, PR and social media, chippies are changing their ways and switching to Sarson’s from NBC (check out some of our work showcased here). Why? Well, independent consumer insight carried out with fish and chip shop customers found 90% would prefer to see condiment brands they know and trust when eating out and crucially revealed that 9 out of 10 customers would prefer their chips to be sprinkled with Sarson’s Malt Vinegar rather than a non-brewed condiment (NBC)*. And you know what they say, ‘the customer is always right!’.

So this year, come National Fish & Chip Day on the 4th June, more of us will be able to enjoy our traditional fish and chip supper sprinkled liberally with good old Sarson’s. Savouring its distinctive flavour, which is all down to a unique seven-day craft brewing process – a time honoured 200-year-old technique that sets it apart from non-brewed products. But if you really want to guarantee yourself a quality fish supper you need to look out for the NFFF Quality Accreditation certification – the sign of a quality fish & chip shop (you might also notice it’s sponsored by Sarson’s). To find your nearest visit www.qualityfishandchips.co.uk

So whether it’s cod or haddock, mushy peas or gravy, always ask for Sarson’s and enjoy your Fish and Chips on National Fish and Chip Day this June 4th! And if you’re interested in the history behind fish and chips you can read all about it here.

Market stats from NFFF
*Independent consumer insight Toluna June 2019, sample 504 consumers.