Brown sauce is the king of condiments, say van drivers

Van drivers prefer a splash of brown sauce over ketchup on their bacon sarnies, a new survey has revealed.

Fiat Professional quizzed 1,000 UK-based van drivers and found that 40 per cent opt for the tangy taste of brown sauce while 37.5 per cent go for its red rival. Meanwhile, 22.5 per cent have no sauce at all.

Despite the overall preference for brown sauce, younger drivers seem keener on ketchup than most. Of respondents under the age of 30, 48 per cent are in favour of red sauce, with just 30 per cent choosing brown.

Female drivers appear more likely to go without than their male counterparts, with 30 per cent of women who responded preferring a bacon sandwich in its purest form, compared with 19 per cent of men.

That said, women are also more keen on brown sauce, with 36 per cent choosing the fruity condiment – although red followed close behind with 34 per cent of the vote.

Richard Chamberlain, Fiat Professional country manager, said: “Many van drivers like to start their day with a traditional bacon butty, so we’ve made life easier for the transport cafes and roadside traders that fuel the nation’s tradespeople by finding an answer to a question that has divided the nation for years.

“Brown sauce is king, but only by the smallest of margins – although with younger drivers favouring red, it could be that the bottle gets tipped the other way in the not-too-distant future.”