Downloads Cans are back in fashion. No longer taking a back seat to cooler chilled lines, they’ve earned a place in the front row of grocery. Sales in the past year have rocketed 19.6% to total £2.8bn [Kantar 52 w/e 21 February 2021]. That stellar success is illustrated by canned giant Heinz, which netted an extra £73.8m alone [NielsenIQ 52 w/e 22 February 2021] as locked-down shoppers filled their cupboards with longer-life fare. It’s the type of behaviour that tends to rear its head in times of upheaval such as Covid. “Tinned food always seems to do well in a crisis. If you’re uncertain about the future, you’re safe buying ahead with cans,” says Robert Fell, CEO of Canned Food UK (CFUK).