Consumers spend an average £63 a year on food that is ready-grated, sliced and chopped, up 14% over the past 12 months, according to price comparison website mySupermarket.co.uk.

Women spend 10% more on such products than men, and Scotland appears to be the laziest region with consumers spending £74.39 a year.

The study compared the price of a shopping basket including pre-boiled eggs, ready-grated cheese, pre-sliced fruit, ready-chopped vegetables and frozen ready meals.

It found the average consumer spent £63.41 in 2010, up from £55.48 a year ago.

Among different ages, the over-75s spend the most on "lazy" groceries at £65.95 a year compared with 18 to 24-year-olds who spend the least at £56.30.

Those with young children spend an average of £63 a year.

MySupermarket spokesman Jonny Steel said: "Our great-grandparents would be amazed at the kinds of convenience ingredients sweeping the supermarket shelves - pre-chopped onions, ready-grated cheese and even ready-boiled eggs. Foods that were once considered an absurd convenience are now a normal part of our daily routines.

"Our research indicates that sales of such products are up 14% in the last 12 months alone, and we anticipate this will continue to grow as shoppers become ever more time-pressed."