Tesco has rolled out its first own-brand bacon and ham range made without added nitrites as customer searches for the products surge.

The company said online searches for products without added nitrites have jumped more than 360 per cent year on year, prompting it to launch an eight-strong range made using 100 per cent British pork.

The new Tesco Made Without Added Nitrites range comprises four bacon and four ham products, spanning smoked and unsmoked back and streaky bacon alongside cooked, wafer-thin, oak-smoked and honey-roast ham.

Its bacon lines, priced at £2.50 for 250g, landed in 668 of Tesco’s larger stores from 21 September, while the ham range, priced at £2.30 for 120g, will hit shelves from 12 October.

Tesco meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy director Richard Wood said: “We’re excited to launch our Tesco Made Without Added Nitrites range designed to give our customers greater choice without compromising on taste.

“Our product development teams and supplier partners have worked hard to develop a great quality range made from 100 per cent British pork that is perfect for mealtimes.”

Tesco is also bolstering its branded offer in the category after securing two new listings from Devon bacon producer Denhay.

Denhay’s Made Without Nitrites Smoked Back Bacon and Unsmoked Back Bacon, both priced at £4 for 200g, are rolling out to 570 Tesco stores this week in what the supplier described as its biggest launch of the year.

Sainsbury’s recently launched its own-label smoked and unsmoked no-added-nitrites back bacon earlier this year, while M&S has introduced smoked and unsmoked back and streaky bacon under its A Good Rasher range.

Tesco said the launch is aimed at giving shoppers who want to avoid added nitrites greater choice across the fixture while retaining the taste and convenience of traditional bacon and ham products.

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