Couch potato snacks soar in Britain.

SALES of couch potato snacks are up as Britons spend more time in front of the television, figures show.

Sales of crisps, biscuits and pot noodles have increased by 21 per cent since the start of the economic downturn, MySupermarket.co.uk said.

The increase coincides with Britons now spending an average of 30 hours a week watching television, up 2.5 hours on the same time last year, according to the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.

The average annual spend per household on couch potato snacks has increased from pounds 272.51 to pounds 328.68 since the start of 2008, a jump of pounds 56.17.

The biggest increase was chocolate (66 per cent), followed by peanuts (44 per cent), crisps (25 per cent) and cookies (25 per cent).

These figures are backed up by further data that reveals that Brits watched an average of 30 hours and four minutes of TV a week in the first quarter of this year, an increase of two hours and 29 minutes on the same period last year.

MySupermarket spokesman Jonny Steel said: "The rise in popularity of couch potato favourites such as chocolate, crisps and cookies can probably be attributed to families spending more time at home in front of the TV as they try to make the most of their money.

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Publication:	Coventry Evening Telegraph (England)
Date:	Jun 8, 2010
Words:	221
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