Joe Swash, Channel 4 and Purple Productions make the perfect combination in Meal Deals: Behind the Bargain

They are one of the UK’s favourite foods-to-go with sales climbing in recent years. The classic meal deal – a sandwich, a soft drink and a snack – has millions of combinations that are hotly debated up and down the country. But which of the many available options will reign supreme?

In two-part lifestyle special Meal Deals: Behind the Bargain, Joe Swash is heading around the country to investigate the meal deal phenomenon, finding out from experts the top insights for choosing the best combinations for our wallets and our health. On the way, the programme will spotlight the fanatics collectively racking up millions of views online rating the best, worst and most unusual mealtime mashups available.

The two-parter will uncover the secrets of the bestselling items, go behind the scenes with two leading supermarkets to discover how they choose new meal deal items and, having polled hundreds of people from across Britain, the show will reveal the Nation’s favourite meal deal main, snack and drink.

Presenter Joe Swash comments: “We all love making our money go further so it’s no surprise meal deals have conquered British lunchtimes. It’s great to be working with Channel 4 again, this time getting the scoop from insiders on what shoppers around the country are putting in their baskets.”

Channel 4’s Clemency Green adds: “‘What’s your favourite meal deal?’, is the question that can spark impassioned debate in every corner of this country. For me, of the millions of combinations, a prawn mayo sandwich is non-negotiable. We’re really looking forward to working with Purple Productions and our intrepid investigator Joe to bring Channel 4 viewers the most surprising revelations about this nationwide consumer obsession.”

Purple Productions’ Pam Cavannagh adds: “We have become fascinated by the cult-like status of meal deals – it’s a uniquely British phenomenon that has shoppers of all ages and statuses around the country hooked. We’re delighted to have Joe on board as an inquisitive host asking the experts questions consumers want to know and uncovering some astonishing answers along the way.”

Meal Deals: Behind the Bargain is made by Manchester-based Purple Productions, part of Objective Media Group, an All3Media company. It has been commissioned for 2 x 60 episodes for Channel 4 by Clemency Green, Senior Commissioning Editor for Lifestyle, and Jo Street, Head of Lifestyle. Its Executive Producers for Purple are Pam Cavannagh and Dympna Jackson and the series producer is Jo Haddock.