Carrot sharpeners in demand as 70s nostalgia flares

Carrot “sharpeners” are on course to become the next kitchen fad as nostalgia for the 1970s inspires a new way to impress guests at retro dinner parties.

The gadget, which looks like a giant pencil sharpener, transforms raw vegetables into curly shavings used to decorate 70s-style dishes such as prawn cocktail or avocado salad.

In the past 10 days, eBay has reported a tenfold increase in sales and listings of the device, starting from “Buy it Now” prices of as little as 99p. Lakeland, which sells a version for £9.99, has seen a 15 per cent increase in sales over a similar period.

Retro food trends are emerging as householders are choosing to decorate homes with bold patterned wallpapers and carpets, and mustard yellow furnishings.

A Lakeland spokesman said: “The trend for healthy eating has been gathering momentum for several years now. Clever tools to help with healthy food preparation continue to grow in popularity, with spiralizers now at the top of Lakeland’s best sellers list and other kitchen tools also proving hugely popular.

“Products like the Karoto are fun and also help customers add professional looking garnishes to their home made dishes quickly and easily.”