Top 10... Sandwich Facts

• British consumers managed to eat their way through over 11.5 billion sandwiches last year – and more than half of these were made and eaten in the home;
• Well over 3,000,000,000 sandwiches were purchased from retail or catering outlets last year to the value of over £6,000,000,000– making the average price of a sandwich almost £1.91
• Many consumers buying sandwiches in busy City locations will not queue for more than 2 minutes!
• The record for creating the most expensive sandwich ever made is claimed by chef Tom Bridge whose Lancaster Cheese Sandwich which was sold on ebay in 2006 for £345. The creation included white Umbrian truffles at £1700 per kilo. The full recipe can be found on the British Sandwich Association web site at www.sandwichesonline.org.uk.
• The world's largest 'pre-packed' sandwich is believed to be one created by Roberts Bakery in Norwich that was 2.5 metres long (down the longest edge) and encased in 1/2" thick perspex packaging. It was filled with Marmite, Princes Tuna & Hellmann's Mayonnaise and weighed the same as 1,000 loaves.
• Britain’s biggest sandwich retailer in the UK is now the American franchise chain Subway which shot ahead of Tesco, Greggs and Marks & Spencers to take the lead in 2006.
• The first sandwich – in name at least – was created by the 4th Earl of Sandwich in 1762 when he called for some ‘cuts of beef ‘ to be placed between toasted slices of bread so that he could continue gambling while he ate. At least it was the first toasted sandwich! It is believed that sandwich making dates from well before this time but was largely a food eaten by peasants. The Earl’s request elevated the humble sandwich from the fields to the tables of the aristocracy.
• Chicken remains the No. 1 most popular filling in commercially made sandwiches – we ate some 68000 tonnes of chicken in sandwiches last year.
• Cold meat is the favourite sandwich filling in home-made sandwiches followed by hard cheese.
• 58% of all commercially bought sandwiches are made with traditional square sandwich bread.
• Wraps account for 4% of commercially bought sandwiches.
• More sandwiches are consumed in hot weather than when it is wet or cold.
• 25-54 year olds account for over 53% of all commercial sandwich sales in value terms – and men account for 55% of all sales.
• 19% of all sandwiches are purchased in London with the Midlands just behind at 17% followed by Yorkshire (12%) and Lancashire (11%)
• Those living in the North East and the South West buy the fewest commercially made sandwiches.
• Some 3.2 billion sandwiches are carried out of the home each year in lunch boxes.
• The UK sandwich industry employs more people than the UK agricultural industry. It is estimated over 300,000 people are now employed in the commercial sandwich sector.
• 'Sandwich' is also a town in Kent, although the name has no connections with a sandwich. It's origin comes from the Saxon meaning for 'Sandy Place' or 'Place on the Sand'. The town is likely to have been formed in Roman times although the first recorded mention is in 640AD. The town is also the birthplace of the Viagra pill.