Shoppers still want cakes, only smaller

Sweet-toothed Britons have not thrown cakes out of the shopping trolley just yet, but they are trading down for their treats, the cake maker Finsbury Food said yesterday.

Finsbury, a supplier of pre-packed cakes to supermarkets, makes its own-label cakes as well as branded goods for Nestlé, WeightWatchers and Thorntons.

John Duffy, the chief executive, said: "Own-label growth has been stronger than branded growth, which is a switch-around from recent years. People are deal-conscious but they are still buying cake."

The company is also making smaller pack sizes.