British supermarket sales surged to £11.6 billion last month, reaching their highest level since the pandemic-induced panic buying of 2020, driven by early Christmas shopping and Halloween celebrations.
Market researcher Kantar revealed a 2.3 per cent increase in sales, coinciding with shopping trips reaching a four-year peak of 480 million visits, equivalent to four weekly shops per household. The rise in activity demonstrates a gradual return to pre-Covid shopping patterns, though frequency levels have not yet fully recovered.
Grocery inflation showed renewed momentum, climbing 2.3 per cent annually in the four weeks to 3 November. October’s confectionery spending reached £525 million, with chocolate and sweet sales rising 13 per cent and 7 per cent respectively, bolstered by Halloween festivities.
The data indicates early Christmas preparations are well underway, with more than 648,000 consumers already purchasing Christmas cakes. Among major retailers, Tesco strengthened its market position with a 4.6 per cent sales increase, securing a 27.9 per cent market share. Sainsbury’s recorded 4.4 per cent growth, maintaining a 15.5 per cent share.
Lidl emerged as the fastest-growing physical retailer for the 15th consecutive period, achieving 7.4 per cent growth. Morrisons showed signs of recovery with 2.4 per cent growth, while Asda continued to struggle, experiencing a 5.5 per cent decline in sales, reducing its market share to 12.5 per cent.
The robust supermarket performance arrives as broader economic indicators suggest varying consumer confidence levels, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a decrease in CPI inflation to 1.7 per cent in September from 2.2 per cent in August.
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