Worldpanel by Numerator data showed Britain’s annual grocery inflation picked up to 2.6% in October, adding pressure for households already facing higher energy costs as colder weather set in.
Fraser McKevitt, Worldpanel’s head of retail and consumer insight, said the annual rate remained below levels seen earlier in the year, although it had turned higher. He cited October’s colder weather and a recent energy price-cap increase as strains on household finances. McKevitt said shoppers would keep a close watch on supermarket spending through winter.
The government’s Be Ready campaign advises households to prepare for up to three days of disruption to essential services. The Independent reported that sales increased for several household supplies during the 10 days after the campaign began. Hand sanitizer sales were 83% higher than in the comparable period a year earlier. Bottled water sales rose 67%, while tinned and jarred goods gained 37%.
The number of daily shoppers buying tinned meat rose 43% after the launch, equivalent to about 400,000 additional buyers each day, The Independent reported. The typical amount purchased stayed near 500 grams. McKevitt said shoppers were adding checklist items to regular trips; fewer than one in three households bought bottled water in October. He described the pattern as preparation rather than panic buying.
Retail figures for the 12 weeks through Nov. 1 showed sales growth at several chains, The Independent reported. Ocado sales rose 12.3%, taking its market share to a record 2.3%, while Marks & Spencer grocery sales increased 14.6%. Lidl sales advanced 6.6%, and its share grew by 0.4 percentage points to 8.6%, the largest gain among retailers. Waitrose’s share edged up to 4.5% from 4.4% as sales grew 2.2%; Morrisons sales rose 2%. Tesco held a 27.8% share and Sainsbury’s 15.5%.
