Humble potato goes out of fashion as it struggles to shake off 'unhealthy and inconvenient' image with millennials

Potatoes are falling out of fashion with millennials who are opting for microwaveable options instead, new figures suggest.

Although “spuds” are part of some of Britain’s most cherished dishes – such as fish and chips and Sunday roasts – experts claim younger people are increasingly finding the vegetable unhealthy and inconvenient to cook.

Instead they eat more rice and noodles, which have seen a significant sales boost due to their “healthy and exotic” image, it is claimed.

According to The Grocer magazine, industry figures last year show potato sales were down 5.4 per cent while sales of rice have risen by 30 per cent in the last four years. Plain and flavoured noodles also performed better.

The magazine said: “Shoppers have a new squeeze when it comes to carbohydrates. Rice and noodles are viewed as everything many say the spud is not – healthy, convenient and exotic. Many, particularly millennial and Generation Z consumers, see spuds as stodge that will make them fat. To boot, they’re often a faff to prepare.”

Potato aficionados, however, maintain the vegetable has not suffered a dip in popularity and disputed the figures.

Christine Watts, marketing officer of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), said statistics by consumer data company Kantar WorldPanel showed potato sales had increased by 2.6 per cent since 2015, with sales of fresh potatoes alone showing a rise of 2.1 per cent.

The AHDB even launched a “Love Potatoes” campaign designed to highlight the vegetable’s nutritional value to younger consumers through Instagram as well as other forms of social media.

Ms Watts said: “Our hugely successful Potatoes: More than a Bit on the Side campaign was launched in July 2015, with the aim of re-engaging younger consumers with the potato, demonstrating its health and nutritional virtues, as well as showing modern and contemporary ways in which they can be used to fit in with today’s busy lifestyles.”

According to The Grocer, microwaveable rice, which it said was only introduced into the market around 15 years ago, is now worth £250 million a year.