Scorching summer boosts grocery sales but volumes dip amid cost of living crunch
Total till grocery sales were elevated this month as sweltering summer temperatures encouraged shoppers to spend more at the supermarket.
According to NielsenIQ data, total till grocery sales were up 4.4 per cent in the four weeks to 16 July, with sales up 5.6 per cent in the last week when scorching weather started.
Price hikes meant volume sales dropped 4.1 per cent, with shoppers buying fewer groceries compared to last year.
Shoppers declined to add packaged grocery and household items to their baskets, with the categories down 6.4 per cent and 8.1 per cent respectively.
The statistics also echoed initial data suggesting that Brits have been buying less meat, fish and poultry, in favour of cheaper alternatives, with the category declining 9.4 per cent.
“Shopping around is now a key coping strategy for households, who are looking to save money,” Mike Watkins, NielsenIQ’s UK head of retailer and business insight, said.
“However, with the start of the summer heatwave, we’ve seen UK consumers shopping more often, which has led to a stronger trading period over the last four weeks. The improvement in top line sales growth is a combination of increases in inflation, but also some incremental spend due to the weather.”