Grocery sales at UK supermarkets have continued to improve, with sales up 1.5% for the four weeks ending 18 June 2022, according to new data from NielsenIQ.
However, despite this uplift, volume sales are declining by 5.5%, as shoppers seek to manage their basket spend because of inflation and the rising cost of living.
The uplift in sales was boosted by The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which took place during the week ending 4 June. Sales during this period were buoyant at +3.7%, with growth across teatime treats and fizz (+48%), champagne (+47%), dough and pastry (+46%), and sparkling wine (+40%).
Sales were also boosted by 0.7% during the week ending 18 June when Brits experienced the first spell of hot sunny weather this year.
The data shows rising prices are leading shoppers to consider cheaper meal alternatives, with sales increasing for frozen poultry (+12%), rice and grains (+11%), canned beans and pasta (+10%), gravy/stock (+9%), and canned meat (+9%). Notably, sales of dry pasta increased by 31%, while sales of beers, wines and spirits fell by 9.7%.
The figures also show that in the four weeks, visits to stores grew 7% – which is over 31m extra visits than this time last year. However, online sales fell 12% compared with last year, with almost half a million fewer online shoppers than in June 2021.
Mike Watkins, NielsenIQ’s UK Head of Retailer and Business Insight, said: “It is no surprise that with budgets squeezed some households are less willing or less able to spend on a large online shop. Moreover, with no restrictions on visiting stores, this is encouraging shoppers to shop around for the best prices as well as shopping little and more often to help manage the weekly food budget.”
Watkins added: “The outlook for the next four weeks is for further pressure on shopper spend and whilst there are some major sporting events over the next few weeks, such as Wimbledon, the F1 and the Women’s Euros, incremental volume growths to the end of July will probably remain subject to the vagaries of the weather.”
