Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK Shoppers shift to cheaper grocery options as cost-of-living worsens: Research

“Shoppers are starting to make different choices in how to compensate for their rising cost of living.”

UK Shoppers shift to cheaper grocery options as cost-of-living worsens: Research

Britons are shifting to cheaper food alternatives in their supermarket shopping as they try to navigate a worsening cost of living crisis, industry data showed on Tuesday.

Market researcher NielsenIQ said that over the four weeks to June 18 sales of frozen poultry rose 12% year-on-year, sales of rice and grains increased 11%, canned beans and pasta were up 10%, gravy/stock up 9%, canned meat up 9% and dry pasta up 31%.


In contrast, sales of beers, wines and spirits, still affected by the slow reopening of the hospitality industry a year ago, fell 9.7%, while general merchandise sales fell 6.1% as shoppers trimmed discretionary spending.

"Shoppers are starting to make different choices in how to compensate for their rising cost of living. For some households, the way to save money is to buy cheaper products," Mike Watkins, NielsenIQ's UK head of retailer and business insight said.

He noted that for the 15% of households who now consider themselves to be "strugglers", almost a quarter of this cohort will stop buying certain products altogether and 28% will shop more at German-owned discounters Aldi and Lidl.

The researcher said total grocery sales at UK supermarkets rose 1.5% on a value basis over the four-week period year-on-year, boosted by the queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations and a spell of hot sunny weather. However, sales fell 5.5% on a volume basis.

Over the four weeks store visits grew 7%, an extra 31 million trips, the market researcher said.

In contrast, online sales fell 12% compared with last year, with almost half a million fewer online shoppers than in June 2021.

This meant the online share of grocery sales reduced to 11.3% from 11.7% in May and 13.1% a year ago.

Market leader Tesco TSCO.L was the only one of Britain's traditional big four supermarket groups to grow sales on a value basis over the 12 weeks to June 18. They were up 0.4% year on year.

Aldi and Lidl were the fastest-growing food retailers, with their combined market share hitting 19.1%

(Reuters)

More For You

Protesters rally against China's planned mega-embassy in London

A protestor is detained by the police during a demonstration against the proposed site of the new Chinese Embassy, outside Royal Mint Court, in London. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso

Protesters rally against China's planned mega-embassy in London

HUNDREDS of demonstrators protested at a site earmarked for Beijing's controversial new embassy in London over human rights and security concerns.

The new embassy -- if approved by the UK government -- would be the "biggest Chinese embassy in Europe", one lawmaker said earlier.

Keep ReadingShow less
Indian man arrested in US for alleged sexual assault

Singh is charged with “assault with sexual motivation” (Photo for representation: iStock)

Indian man arrested in US for alleged sexual assault

AN INDIAN national is among four persons arrested by US immigration authorities over charges related to sexual assault.

Jaspal Singh, 29, an Indian citizen was arrested on January 29 in Tukwila, Washington.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer sacks minister over WhatsApp messages

Andrew Gwynne (Photo: UK parliament)

Starmer sacks minister over WhatsApp messages

A Labour party lawmaker said he regretted "badly misjudged" comments after prime minister Keir Starmer sacked him as a minister.

It is the latest bump in the road Starmer's government has hit in its first seven months in power despite a landslide election victory in July last year.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-bjp-reuters

BJP supporters celebrate in New Delhi. (Photo: Reuters)

Modi's BJP wins Delhi assembly election after 27 years

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that "development had won" as his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory in Delhi’s local elections, ending a 27-year gap since it last controlled the capital’s legislature.

"Development has won, good governance has won," Modi said after Delhi’s former chief minister, a key opposition leader, conceded defeat.

Keep ReadingShow less