The History and Impact of Canned Food
Where Canned began
An Englishman, Peter Durand, developed a method of sealing food into unbreakable metal containers, which was perfected by Bryan Dorkin and John Hall, who set up the first commercial canning factory in England in 1813***. Find out more about the modern day canning process.
As more and more of the world was explored, and as provisioning armies took on greater importance, the demand for canned foods grew***. More than 50 years later, Louis Pasteur provided the explanation for canning’s effectiveness when he was able to demonstrate that the growth of microorganisms is the cause of food spoilage***.
The canned food industry
is worth £2.2bn*
to UK retailers
£1.24m kilogrammes* of canned
goods being purchased by
UK consumers each year.
Food in cans
is easy to purchase,
store and use.
Canned food is meal staple in the
UK consumer’s eye – just 2%
never purchase canned food.**
Canned food is
and always has been
a UK favourite
Canned food
is value
for money.
3 billion units****
of canned food
are sold each year.
The flavour of
harvested, farmed or caught
food is locked in the can.
* Kantar Worldpanel: 52 w/e 29 Jan 2017 |** YouGov survey results – conducted November 2016 – 2,024 UK residents, aged 18+.
*** The history of food canning – Click here | **** Kantar Worldpanel: 52 w/e 29 Jan 2017