Waitrose doubled its Made Without Nitrites range over the last year, according to reports. Sales of the store's British roast and honey roast hams increased by over 70% since the launch in May.
Furthermore, the sales of Waitrose's unsmoked back bacon saw a rise of 22%. In the 52 weeks leading up to 6 September 2026, spending on nitrite-free items reached £34.8 million, marking an 11.4% year-on-year increase, while volumes rose to 2.2 million kg, up 8.0%.
For comparison, spending on conventional bacon during the same period accounted for 9.2%, with volumes increasing by 4.9%. Emer Lowry, a nutritionist at Waitrose, noted that offering options without added nitrites provides shoppers with more choice without sacrificing flavour or taste.
Marlene Godwin, the managing director of Denhay, stated that the decision to supply nitrite-free products resulted from input from both retailers and shoppers. Gabriela Peacock, a nutritionist and founder of GP Nutrition, observed that consumers are currently paying closer attention to the actual ingredients within their food.
The World Health Organization’s cancer agency classifies processed meat as a group 1 carcinogen. Research suggests that consuming approximately 50g of processed meat daily is associated with a 16% higher relative risk of developing colorectal cancer.
However, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) stated that there is no definitive evidence linking nitrites directly to cancer. The FSA also stated that there is no evidence to suggest that processed meats made without nitrate or nitrite additives are inherently safer.
