How many biscuits do we eat in the UK?

	In 1998, people in the UK spent about £1,865 million on biscuits and wafers.
	That's £31.53 worth of biscuits per person per year.
	Or 10.83 kilograms of biscuits per person per year. That's more than forty-three packets of Hob-nobs!
	That means that enough biscuits are bought in the UK for everyone to have 208 grams of biscuits each week!

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Packaging facts

	Biscuits as we know them today stem from the invention of the cutting machine and the travelling oven in the middle of the 19th century.
	Packaging in moisture-proof material is a highly mechanised process, resulting in a product with a long shelf life and high convenience value.
	One of the most popular sorts of chocolate biscuits is the "chocolate count line" - biscuits covered in chocolate and individually wrapped and put into multi-packs

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Bikkie history

	Biscuits are one of the oldest foods known, and evidence has been found that indicates that biscuits were eaten in Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire.
	In the 16th century explorers and travellers packed their biscuits before leaving home. Biscuits were survival food.

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What does "biscuit" mean?

	In medieval times, biscuits literally meant "twice baked" because they were made out of flour and water, baked once then returned to the oven to dry out. This simple biscuit was a staple food when fresh bread was not available.
	The "hard tack" or "ship's biscuit" of those early days developed an infamous reputation because of its dryness. Apparently it would last the whole voyage without turning mouldy - but you would need a hammer to break it! Indeed many sailors lost their teeth trying to bite into such biscuits. The road to the Royal Navy's own bakery at Deptford was known as Hard Tack Lane!

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Fair Trade products

	The cute cow money-box is made in Indonesia, from wood. It is one of many different gifts, toys and decorations which Oxfam sells through its Fair Trade company catalogue
	Oxfam also sells lots of different Fair Trade chocolates, including chocolate eggs, chocolate-coated brazil nuts and lots of different types of chocolate bars.
	You can buy Fair Trade chocolate from Oxfam's catalogue or from some Oxfam shops. Does your local Oxfam shop sell chocolate?

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