Brief
UK grocery price inflation rises to 2.5% as shoppers rely on promotions
Worldpanel data shows grocery inflation edging up to 2.5% while promotions help households manage costs.
By Felo News Desk · Published
UK grocery price inflation has risen to 2.5% year‑on‑year, up from 2.3% the previous month, according to Worldpanel data compiled by Numerator. The increase comes as shoppers lean heavily on special offers to keep grocery bills in check.
Worldpanel reported that spending on promotions over the last month was more than £250 million higher than the same period last year. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel, told Standard that the approaching autumn Budget and rising fuel costs are keeping cost‑of‑living pressures high, with “more than half” of shoppers “very or extremely worried about petrol prices”. He added that this anxiety is likely to keep shoppers “leaning more heavily on promotions”.
Despite the overall price rise, some categories saw relief. Like‑for‑like chocolate confectionery prices were 3% lower than a year ago, a welcome drop ahead of Halloween and Christmas. McKevitt said the seasonal decline would help ease household budgets, even though it does not fully reverse the double‑digit increases seen in 2025.
Market‑share data showed Lidl gaining ground, reaching 8.6% over the 12 weeks to 4 October, driven by a 7.1% sales rise in fruit, veg and wine. Online specialist Ocado posted a 12.4% sales increase, outpacing overall online growth of 5.5%. Tesco and Sainsbury’s saw modest till‑side spend rises of 1% and 1.3% respectively, while Asda held 11.5% of the market and Aldi 10.5% after a 0.4% year‑on‑year sales lift. M&S reported a 14.9% jump in grocery sales.
Key facts
- UK grocery price inflation rose to 2.5% year‑on‑year. (standard.co.uk)
- Spending on promotions was over £250 million higher than a year earlier. (standard.co.uk)
- Lidl's market share climbed to 8.6% over the 12 weeks to 4 October. (standard.co.uk)
- Chocolate confectionery prices fell 3% compared with a year ago. (standard.co.uk)
- Ocado's online sales grew 12.4%, beating the overall online rise of 5.5%. (standard.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “Grocery price inflation edges up as shoppers lean on special offers”
