Britain’s largest biscuit brand has developed a range of oat bakes initially launching in two flavours, Dark Chocolate & Almond and Cranberry.

Health was at the forefront of design for the products, which have 35% less sugar than a typical oat biscuit, said McVitie’s. The products are also described as high in fibre and suitable for vegans.

Market research company Mintel found that ‘low sugar’ was the top feature consumers were looking for in a healthy snack in 2018.

Further research by Mintel found almost half of customers struggled to discern which snacks were healthier than others. As a result, McVitie’s has opted for packaging designed to clearly flag up the reduced sugar content.

Emma Stowers, brand director for McVitie’s, said the product “ticks both the taste and health boxes”. She added that the healthier biscuit industry has grown by 4.5% and was expected to continue increasing, making it an ideal time to bring such a product to market.

The product range is expected to retail at £1.89 for a 140g box. They will be sold first in Asda stores in June, with a larger roll-out across multiple retailers over the following months.