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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Chloe Mac Donnell

Dates double in sales as consumers move away from ultra-processed snacks

Dried dates in a wooden bowl on burlap, with more dates scattered on a wooden board
Ocado have reported sales of medjool dates are up 100% year-on-year while searches for date butter and chocolate dates have increased 458% and 135% respectively. Photograph: Arx0nt/Getty Images

Instead of a customary biscuit or a chocolate bar to combat the 4pm slump, people are reaching for a more natural sweet alternative: dates.

The sweet fruit has been thrust into the snacking spotlight by a combination of viral recipes on social media, growing awareness about fibre intake and increasing demand for alternatives to ultra-processed foods.

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