Shoppers changing habits as budgets squeezed

Shoppers are making more trips to the supermarket to buy fewer items for more money as households try to adapt to inflation squeezing their budgets.

The latest grocery share figures from Kantar Worldpanel, published yesterday, show the UK grocery market growing at 4.5 per cent on the same period last year. That is below the 5.3 per cent grocery price inflation over that time, indicating a small fall in sales volumes.

Kantar director Martin Whittingham said there was also evidence consumers were managing budgets by making more shopping trips but buying fewer items on each outing.

“These changes are at the margin but illustrate how shoppers are trying to cope with the increasing pressures on their household budget,” he said.

Morrisons once again achieved the strongest growth of the big four supermarkets, but Sainsbury’s was close behind, both retailers gaining an extra 0.1 per cent of total market share since last year.

Tesco’s share slipped to 30.4 per cent from 30.8 per cent as it only managed 3 per cent growth, while Asda was another faller, as its share dipped from 17.8 per cent to 17.4 per cent.

The top and bottom ends of the market made the biggest gains, with discount stores Aldi and Lidl enjoying double-digit sales growth while up-market Waitrose also continued to power ahead with growth of 8.9 per cent.