Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
A new survey by retail chain Hobbycraft reveals that baking is now the most popular leisure activity out of a wide range of other arts and crafts pursuits.
Nearly one fifth of over 1,300 respondents picked it as their top choice over the other options of art, knitting, jewellery making, cake decorating, sewing, card making, candle making, crocheting, cross stitch, model making, kids craft, soap making, flower arranging, upcycling, papercraft, scrapbooking, tapestry, paper mache and decopatch.
And it seems that young people are the most enthusiastic bakers, with 32% of 16- of 24-year-olds saying they are most interested in creating their own baked gifts. Similarly, a recent survey by Sainsbury’s showed that it is the younger generation who enjoy Pancake Day the most, with 49% of 18- to 24-year-olds celebrating every year.
Hobbycraft’s research also reveals that the most ambitious bakers hail from the Midlands, Northern Ireland and Yorkshire, with 64% of respondents from those areas saying that creating a baked masterpiece topped their list as the most sentimental gift this Valentine’s Day.
Hobbycraft, which offers 35,000 arts and crafts products online and from 75 stores nationwide, says it has found the trend towards creative baking soaring over the past few years. It offers an extensive range of baking accessories, and customers are encouraged to seek out in-store staff bearing an “I’m a baker, if you need help just ask” message.
