Sales of Baked Beans have apparently increased 12 percent over the last year as consumers are cutting back their grocery bills.

You can't seem to watch the news these days without hearing at least one mention of the 'Credit Crunch'. Usually it is mentioned in the same breath and falling house prices, falling company profits and a slowdown in consum
er spending; but this time it is good news for producers of canned baked bean products where annual sales have reached £300.4 million, compared with £250.2 million three years ago, according to market research company IRI.

£300 million beans equates to each household buying more than 10 kilos (22lbs ), or 23 large cans, worth of high-quality baked beans.