Crunch time: Edible insects hit supermarket shelves as UK goes nuts for bugs
Roasted crickets hit supermarket shelves yesterday as Sainsbury’s became the first UK retailer to stock edible insects.
The supermarket chain has launched a range of barbecue-flavoured crunchy roasted crickets, which are described as “crunchy in texture with a rich smoky flavour”.
The crickets cost £1.50 per packet and are available in 250 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK.
The product range reflects a growing appetite in the UK for edible bugs, which already form a significant part of diets around the world. The edible insects market is set to exceed $522m (£406m) by 2023, according to research by Global Market Insights.
Proponents of the snack cite its health benefits as a source of protein. Insects are also considered a more sustainable food source due to the lower resources needed to farm them.
Duncan Williamson, food policy manager at WWF UK, said: “As the population increases, we urgently need to look at alternative protein sources to make the most of land available for food production.
“Insects are incredibly sustainable and can help to reduce our carbon footprint.”
The barbecue crickets are produced by Eat Grub, a sustainable food brand that aims to make insects a staple part of Western diets.
Edible insects are defined by the EU as so-called novel food, meaning they had not been eaten to a significant degree by humans in the EU before 1997.
A new law introduced in January was intended to simplify the approval process for novel foods.
Eat Grub co-founder Shami Radia said: “Currently insects are eaten and enjoyed by two billion people worldwide.
“We’re on a mission to show the West that as well as having very strong sustainability and environmental credentials, they are also seriously tasty and shouldn’t be overlooked as a great snack or recipe ingredient.”