According to a survey of 185 employees by office design company Maris Interiors, 80 per cent feel quality has dipped since 2006, with only 4 per cent noticing an improvement and16 per cent seeing no change.

The average cost of sandwiches per person at meetings currently stands at just £3.80, compared to just under £6 in 2006.

Chairman of Maris Interiors Michael Howard says, ‘It’s a sign of these austere times that companies are spending much less on sandwiches in the boardroom. It’s certainly a sensible way to cut costs, but be careful not to overdo it: you won’t impress a client with jam sandwiches!’