Cake statistics show how UK household purchases of cakes and related baked goods have changed over time. The available figures cover grams purchased per person per week from 1974 through financial year 2024/25, alongside consumer percentages for buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies in 2019–2023.
Contents
- Headline household purchase figures
- Cakes and pastries over time
- Buns, scones and teacakes
- Frozen cakes and pastries
- Cake, pudding and dessert mixes
- Consumers by age and sex
Headline household purchase figures
The UK household purchase series reports amounts in grams per person per week. Its broadest category is cakes, buns and pastries, which includes several kinds of sweet baked goods rather than cake alone. The source is UK - household purchases.
In 1974, UK households purchased 184.2 g per person per week of cakes, buns and pastries. The figure was 152.7 g in 1980 and 146.4 g in 1990. It reached 187.3 g in 2000, the highest value listed in this series.
The reported amount was 168.2 g per person per week in FYE 2005/06 and 153.1 g in 2010. It was 146.9 g in 2015, followed by 159.4 g in FYE 2019/20 and 165.4 g in FYE 2021/22. By FYE 2024/25, the amount was 153.2 g per person per week.
| Period | Cakes, buns and pastries | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 184.2 | g per person per week |
| 1990 | 146.4 | g per person per week |
| 2000 | 187.3 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2010 | 153.1 | g per person per week |
| 2015 | 146.9 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2021/22 | 165.4 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2024/25 | 153.2 | g per person per week |
These figures are household purchase measurements for the stated periods. They are not presented as individual eating amounts, and the category combines cakes, buns and pastries.
Cakes and pastries over time
The narrower cakes-and-pastries series began at 153.8 g per person per week in 1974. The amount was 109.6 g in 1985 and 132.9 g in 1995. In FYE 2005/06, UK households purchased 122.2 g per person per week of cakes and pastries.
The series recorded 107.6 g per person per week in 2010 and 99.2 g in 2015. It rose to 107.6 g in FYE 2018/19. The reported amount was 102.0 g in FYE 2020/21, 106.7 g in FYE 2022/23, and 101.1 g in FYE 2024/25.
| Period | Cakes and pastries | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 153.8 | g per person per week |
| 1985 | 109.6 | g per person per week |
| 1995 | 132.9 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2005/06 | 122.2 | g per person per week |
| 2010 | 107.6 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2018/19 | 107.6 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2020/21 | 102.0 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2022/23 | 106.7 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2024/25 | 101.1 | g per person per week |
The supplied household series therefore distinguishes cakes and pastries from the wider cakes, buns and pastries group. The periods are not all annual calendar years: several observations are reported as financial years.
Buns, scones and teacakes
Buns, scones and teacakes followed a different pattern in the same household-purchase source. The amount was 30.4 g per person per week in 1974 and 31.7 g in 1985. It was 39.6 g in 1995 and 46.0 g in FYE 2005/06.
The figure was 45.5 g per person per week in 2010 and 47.7 g in 2015. It reached 51.8 g in FYE 2018/19. The reported amount then stood at 48.8 g in FYE 2020/21, 57.3 g in FYE 2021/22 and 52.1 g in FYE 2024/25.
| Period | Buns, scones and teacakes | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 30.4 | g per person per week |
| 1985 | 31.7 | g per person per week |
| 1995 | 39.6 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2005/06 | 46.0 | g per person per week |
| 2015 | 47.7 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2018/19 | 51.8 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2021/22 | 57.3 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2024/25 | 52.1 | g per person per week |
The latest listed observation is therefore for FYE 2024/25, while the highest listed observation in this category is for FYE 2021/22. Both are household purchases, measured in the same weekly per-person unit.
Frozen cakes and pastries
Frozen cakes and pastries were measured at 3.8 g per person per week in 1974. The amount was 12.6 g in 1985 and 25.8 g in 1995. In FYE 2005/06, the reported figure was 7.5 g per person per week.
The series recorded 9.7 g per person per week in 2010 and 8.7 g in 2015. It was 7.3 g in FYE 2020/21. Later observations were 5.2 g in FYE 2022/23, 5.6 g in FYE 2023/24 and 4.0 g in FYE 2024/25.
| Period | Frozen cakes and pastries | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 3.8 | g per person per week |
| 1985 | 12.6 | g per person per week |
| 1995 | 25.8 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2005/06 | 7.5 | g per person per week |
| 2010 | 9.7 | g per person per week |
| 2015 | 8.7 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2020/21 | 7.3 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2022/23 | 5.2 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2024/25 | 4.0 | g per person per week |
The frozen category has observations for FYE 2022/23, FYE 2023/24 and FYE 2024/25, allowing the recent period to be read separately from the older calendar-year observations.
Cake, pudding and dessert mixes
Purchases of cake, pudding and dessert mixes were 7.4 g per person per week in 1974. The amount rose to 10.4 g in 1985, then was reported at 5.2 g in 1995 and 5.9 g in FYE 2005/06.
The figure was 6.5 g per person per week in 2010 and 6.0 g in 2015. It was 5.8 g in FYE 2020/21, 4.0 g in FYE 2022/23, 3.8 g in FYE 2023/24 and 4.4 g in FYE 2024/25.
| Period | Cake, pudding and dessert mixes | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 7.4 | g per person per week |
| 1985 | 10.4 | g per person per week |
| 1995 | 5.2 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2005/06 | 5.9 | g per person per week |
| 2010 | 6.5 | g per person per week |
| 2015 | 6.0 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2020/21 | 5.8 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2022/23 | 4.0 | g per person per week |
| FYE 2024/25 | 4.4 | g per person per week |
This measure covers mixes rather than finished cakes purchased as ready-to-eat products. It is consequently a separate category in the household-purchase data.
Consumers by age and sex
The NDNS 2019 to 2023: chapter 4 data reports the percentages of consumers who consumed buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies during 2019–2023. The age groups and sex categories are reported separately.
Among male consumers, 57.3% of boys aged 4 to 10 years consumed the cake-group foods. The percentage was 38.4% among boys aged 11 to 18 years and 43.2% among men aged 19 to 64 years. It was 48.5% among men aged 65 to 74 years and 56.4% among men aged 75 years and over.
Among female consumers, 51.6% of girls aged 4 to 10 years consumed buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies. The percentage was 51.9% among girls aged 11 to 18 years and 49.4% among women aged 19 to 64 years. It was 44.8% among women aged 65 to 74 years and 57.9% among women aged 75 years and over.
| Age group | Male consumers | Female consumers |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 10 years | 57.3% | 51.6% |
| 11 to 18 years | 38.4% | 51.9% |
| 19 to 64 years | 43.2% | 49.4% |
| 65 to 74 years | 48.5% | 44.8% |
| 75 years and over | 56.4% | 57.9% |
These consumer percentages refer to the 2019–2023 NDNS period and to the combined food description “buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies.” They should not be read as percentages for cake alone, or as the same measure as the household purchase amounts reported in grams per person per week.