What makes for a perfect piece of bacon? The range of possible answers is as vast as personal tastes, which is to say, almost limitless. One enthusiast might prefer their bacon thick-cut, while another might tend towards hickory-smoked. But in the U.K., a shift is afoot in many diners’ bacon of choice – and it reflects larger concerns over health and the way that certain foods are processed.
The Guardian‘s Denis Campbell reported two interconnected trends at supermarkets in the U.K.: bacon cured with nitrites was down 7.4%, while sales of its nitrite-free counterpart were up 21.7% in the same period. The data from Worldpanel by Numerator compared sales over a 12-week period that ended on January 25, 2026 to data from one year earlier.
Nitrites are generally used as a preservative in bacon and other processed foods, and the U.K.’s Food Standards Agency published a report last fall on the health risks of consuming nitrites. As Dr. James Cooper, the agency’s Deputy Director of Food Policy, stated, “[W]hile nitrates and nitrites can form compounds called nitrosamines, many of which are carcinogenic, the link to serious health problems like cancer in humans remains inconclusive.”
This comes a decade after the World Health Organization issued a warning about the connection between consuming processed meats and being at a higher risk for cancer. With these factors in mind, it’s understandable that some consumers would be cutting back on their bacon habit, or seeking presumably healthier alternatives.
The 10 Best Places to Buy Bacon Online
From artisanal bacon-of-the-month clubs to the pork equivalent of Kobe beefPrecisely how much healthier nitrite-free bacon is is an open question, however. Dr. Cooper observed that “[t]here’s no evidence to suggest that processed meat made without the use of nitrates is a safer alternative.” And a 2023 investigation by Consumer Reports addressed bacon on this side of the Atlantic, noting that bacon sold as “cured” in the U.S. is not necessarily nitrite-free. All of this suggests that diners seeking a healthier version of bacon might well be engaged in a Quioxtic task.
More Like This
Every Thursday, our resident experts see to it that you’re up to date on the latest from the world of drinks. Trend reports, bottle reviews, cocktail recipes and more. Sign up for THE SPILL now.