UK shoppers making fewer but bigger trips to the supermarket 

UK grocery price inflation reached 2.1% in the four weeks to October 31, its highest level since August 2020, according to market researcher Kantar. Kantar said grocery prices are rising fastest in markets such as savoury snacks, canned colas and crisps while falling in fresh bacon, vegetables and pet treats. Kantar predicts that as prices increase in certain categories, shoppers will visit several supermarkets and shop around to find the best deals. Households already visit an average of 3.3 supermarkets per month in order to find the best value for money.

UK grocery sales fell 1.9% year-on-year in the 12 weeks to October 31, but were up 7.3% compared with 2019. Shopping habits are beginning to settle at a new baseline, with the general trend towards bigger, less frequent trips to the supermarket set to stay.

Kantar said households visited the supermarket 15.7 times in the past month on average – a slight increase from the 15.3 trips in the same period in 2020. However, consumers are still making 40 million fewer trips per month than they were in 2019. Online grocery sales have also levelled out, accounting for 12.4% of the total grocery market for the second month in a row.