UK Grocery Inflation Hits Two-Year Low Amid Summer Spending Shifts
Cooling demand for summer essentials drives sales as discount deals surge across supermarkets.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Sarah Connor
UK grocery price inflation dropped to 2.1 per cent in the four weeks to 9 August, marking its lowest level in nearly two years.
Sales of dips jumped 23.3 percent, coleslaw rose 23.1 percent, and potato salad increased by 22 percent during the period. Demand for frozen fruit rocketed, with sales up 48.1 percent.
Soft drink sales also increased by 15.1 percent in spend. Sally Ball noted, "Shoppers have been trying to stay cool this month, with soft drinks growing 15.1% in spend, while the freezer aisle saw shoppers stocking up on ice cream, sorbet and frozen fruit to beat the heat."
Shoppers have been trying to stay cool this month, with soft drinks growing 15.1% in spend, while the freezer aisle saw shoppers stocking up on ice cream, sorbet and frozen fruit to beat the heat.
Sun cream sales soared by 58.4 percent, with the strongest increase observed among those aged under 45. Chilled finger foods reportedly grew by 15.2 percent.
Ice cream and sorbet sales went up by 26.1 percent. Among the major chains, Ocado recorded the fastest sales growth in the sector at 13.1 percent.
Sainsbury’s was the strongest performer with a 3.5 percent rise. Morrisons sales rose 3.3 percent, but Asda sales dropped 0.2 percent, its smallest fall since March 2024.
Discount retailer Lidl grew its market share to 8.8 percent following an 8.5 percent jump in sales. Aldi sales reportedly rose 1.1 percent.
Sally Ball stated, "The continued heat across the UK has certainly impacted the way people are eating and drinking." She added that "Earlier this summer we saw that mealtimes were being pushed later in the day, with 13% of evening meals now eaten after 8pm."
The continued heat across the UK has certainly impacted the way people are eating and drinking. Earlier this summer we saw that mealtimes were being pushed later in the day, with 13% of evening meals now eaten after 8pm.