UK | According to the latest Kantar report, grocery price inflation eased to 4.5 percent over the four weeks to the 17th of March. This is the lowest level since February 2022.
Early Easter sales of seasonal treats in the first three months of 2024 boosted sales by £88 million compared to last year's period.
Consumers have been stocking up on classic seasonal treats. A quarter of people have picked up four or more items when buying chocolate eggs. Of those shoppers, 29 percent are over 65, suggesting that many grandparents plan to indulge their families this weekend.
Grocery inflation has come down significantly. Despite this, many British households still feel the squeeze. Shoppers are continuing their hunt for value, with 78 percent actively buying cheaper groceries and 68 percent using promotions to help manage budgets.
Ocado was the fastest-growing retailer this month, benefiting from a sustained voucher campaign that helped it attract customers. It has improved sales by 9.5 percent in the last 12 weeks, ahead of the total online market, which rose by 6.6 percent to account for 1.9 percent of all take-home sales. It was the only grocer other than Waitrose to boost its number of shoppers in the last three months.
Year-on-year sales at Britain’s two largest grocers, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, climbed by 5.8 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively.
Morrisons saw a 3.6 percent increase in sales over the last 12 weeks, marking more than one year of consistent growth for the retailer. Asda, meanwhile, increased sales by 0.2 percent and now holds 13.8 percent of the market.
Aldi’s sales stepped up by 3.1 percent, with its market share at 9.8 percent. Fellow discounter Lidl grew by 8.8 percent, helped by a 24 percent rise in baked goods sales and an 11 percent jump in fruit, vegetables, and salads.
