Garlic: The Nation's Favourite Flavour Booster

Britain’s great garlic obsession: New survey reveals the nation’s favourite flavour booster

Ahead of National Garlic Day on the 19th April, we’ve commissioned some new research that confirms what many home cooks already suspect – Britain is well and truly garlic-mad.

A nationwide survey of 2,000 UK adults has found that a whopping 66% of Brits cook with garlic at least once a week, with more than two-fifths using it multiple times. And for the truly dedicated, one in ten (7.4%) are using garlic every single day.

Whether it’s the heart of a Bolognese, some added kick in a curry or the base of a buttery garlic bread – garlic is clearly a kitchen essential across the country.

Garlic by the clove (or the bulb)

Brits aren’t shy about quantity, either. A third (32%) regularly use 3 to 5 cloves in one meal, while 10% go all in with 5 to 10 cloves. And in case you thought that was bold, 7% of respondents admitted to using an entire bulb in a single dish before.

It also seems we’re not just following the recipe – we’re enhancing it. Two-thirds of home cooks say they regularly add more garlic than the recipe calls for, simply to pack in extra flavour and really bring the taste to the fore.

Garlic vs. social plans

Despite its flavour fame, garlic still sparks a bit of a social dilemma. Nearly a third (31%) steer clear before big plans – with 7% avoiding it altogether due to concerns about garlic breath. But on the flip side, 22.5% don’t care about any potential impact on breath, and almost one in five say the taste is worth it, no matter the social consequences.

A young person’s choice?

Interestingly, garlic usage varies by age. Among 18 to 24-year-olds, 17% cook with garlic daily, compared to just 1.5% of over-65s. So whether it’s driven by foodie trends on TikTok or a reflection of a generation raised on global flavours, it’s clear younger cooks are embracing garlic in a big way compared to their older counterparts.

The Zyliss garlic legacy

At Zyliss we’ve long had a soft spot for garlic. After all, our founder, Karl Zysett, invented the original garlic press back in 1948. Fast forward to today, and our Susi Garlic Press remains one of our most iconic tools – combining clever Swiss engineering with simple, effortless garlic prep, with a tool that’s evolved over time to meet the latest kitchen requirements.

This National Garlic Day then, whether you're a once-a-week garlic lover or a daily devotee, make sure your kitchen is ready to go with the best tool for the job. Alongside our heritage garlic press, we have a full range of innovative kitchen utensils designed to make cooking both efficient and joyful, while bringing out the bold in every dish.

Shop the Zyliss Susi Garlic Press here and browse all our food prep tools here.