Supermarket sales in the UK fell by 3.8% over the 12 weeks to 23 January, but grocery spending is still 8% higher than before the pandemic, according to Kantar’s latest take-home grocery figures.
Since the first lockdown in March 2020, shoppers have been buying in bulk and visiting supermarkets less often. However, basket sizes are now 10% smaller than this time last year, hitting their lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic, while footfall increased by 5% as every major retailer was busier in-store.
The figures do not include on-the-go food and drink purchases, which are likely to be higher than last year, as increasing confidence about going out and about, combined with the return to the office, means pre-pandemic shopping patterns are starting to return.
In addition, there was also evidence of people scrubbing up as the work from home directive ended and socialising increased. Razor blade sales rose by 14% and spend on deodorant increased by 20%.
Increased confidence in visiting stores was also reflected in online grocery sales, Kantar reveals.
Fraser McKevitt, Kantar’s Head of Retail and Consumer Insight, said: “Digital orders accounted for 12.5% of all grocery spend, almost double the pre-pandemic proportion. Though online purchases are down year-on-year by 15%, it’s important to remember that this is in comparison with the strict lockdown we faced in January 2021 when the public was staying indoors when possible.”
Meanwhile, Dry January converts pushed up sales of alcohol-free beer by 5% and sales of retailers’ own-label ranges marketed as healthy increased by 8%.
In addition, plant-based products proved more popular than ever. A record 10.7 million households bought at least one item that was a dairy alternative, a meat substitute or labelled as plant-based this January. Sales growth for these veggie favourites was 0.5%, well above the wider grocery market.
