Pressure group Coalition Against Nitrites has called for supermarkets to reduce and ultimately eliminate nitrites from own-brand bacon and ham lines.
Coalition Against Nitrites spotlighted data from Worldpanel by Numerator (12 weeks ending 25th January 2026 vs the same period in 2025), which showed that nitrite-cured fresh bacon saw a £18,658,871 year-on-year sales “collapse”, a 7.3% drop in value and a 4.1% fall in volume.
It said that sales of nitrite-cured bacon had fallen by £18.7 million in the 12 weeks up to 25th January, as British shoppers turned away from products containing nitrite additives.
In a letter to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), copied to major UK supermarkets, the Coalition has now urged supermarkets to expand shelf space for nitrite-free bacon and ham, improve front-of-pack clarity and set clear timelines for reducing and ultimately eliminating nitrites from own-brand lines.
A spokesperson for the Coalition Against Nitrites said: “£18.7 million has been wiped off nitrite-cured bacon sales in just three months. That is not a fluctuation, it is a consumer revolt. Shoppers are sending a clear message. They do not want carcinogenic additives in their food. The industry cannot ignore a shift of this scale.”
Professor Chris Elliott OBE, supporter of Coalition Against Nitrites, added: “The use of carcinogenic nitrites is increasingly out of step with public expectations. This is no longer a fringe issue. It is a mainstream market correction backed by cross-party political support and I hope retailers and producers alike continue to play their part in making processed meats safer to eat.”
“Additives such as nitrites are controlled, and their use is regularly monitored by the food safety authorities.”
Devina Sankhla, food safety policy adviser at BRC, commented: “Food safety is paramount to retailers, and they implement strict policies with their suppliers to ensure all products comply with UK food legislation. Additives such as nitrites are controlled, and their use is regularly monitored by the food safety authorities.”
Nick Allen, CEO of BMPA, said: “While nitrites play an important role in food safety, the ultimate decision on the amount used in different curing recipes rests not with the processors, but with the product brand owners. Competing brands commission their own-label recipes which can be quite varied.
“At every stage, the UK processing industry strictly adheres to regulations set by the Food Standards Agency and keeps nitrite and nitrate levels within the legal limits. But there has also been significant and ongoing work by processors to reduce nitrites in cured pork products.
“Working with the latest scientific research, our producers have, over several years, been implementing new methods to get nitrite use as low as possible without jeopardising public health. In fact, BMPA members have achieved up to a two-thirds reduction in the need for nitrite use in products, which is well below the FSA limits.”
