Green Is In - Salad Sales Rocket at Sainsbury's This Summer

Sainsbury's are reporting 2016 to be the year of the salad. No longer relegated to side dish status, this year sees salads taking centre-stage on our summer tables and when it comes to the leaves – sales data suggests 'the greener the better'.

Sainsbury's Baby Spinach is the best-selling salad bag, Wild Rocket is at number three, with mixed salad bags - that combine a selection of different leaves - also a popular choice. Sales of perennial favourite Iceberg remain steady and it is still has a place in the top ten sellers but the growth of darker green options suggests a broader consumer desire to embrace these nutrient-rich leaves. Sales trends at Sainsbury's shows dark green varieties like spinach, rocket and watercress are among those growing the fastest.

Year on year salad bag sales are below:

- Mixed Leaf +92% (a mix of Red Multileaf, Green Multileaf, Green Batavia & Radicchio)
- Watercress +52%
- Bistro +27% (a mix of Lambs Lettuce, Beetroot, Red Chard & Bulls Blood Chard)
- Rocket +20%
- Sweet leaf mix +20% (a mix of Iceberg Lettuce, Carrot, Romaine Lettuce & White Cabbage)
- Spinach +19%