Sandwiches: No longer left on the shelf

For so long the humble lunchtime sandwich was just limp lettuce and a cheese slice between two pieces of dry white bread. No surprise then that sarnies have for some time been facing rising competition from their more glamorous counterparts – salads, soups and sushi. But according to latest research from MINTEL the great British butty is biting back. Between 2002 and 2006 average year on year growth in sandwich sales was a soggy 3.5%, but over the last year alone (2006 – 2007) growth has been a much more appealing 9%, almost three times that of previous years.