Back-to-school boosts frozen meals and confectionery sales surge ahead of Halloween
Grocery inflation now stands at 4.98% for September, marking the 13th consecutive month of declining inflation, reaching levels last seen in August 2022.
In the year to 29th September 2024, £4.34 billion passed through the tills, up 4.6% year-on-year, representing an additional £190 million compared to last year.
Take-home grocery sales grew as shoppers marginally increased volume per trip alongside more frequent trips to stores, which contributed a combined £51.7 million to overall performance.
“The latest 12 weeks saw shoppers fully return to their routines, with many preparing for back-to-school,” said Eimear Faughnan, Kantar’s Worldpanel Head of Retail.
“Shoppers spent an additional £1 million on biscuits and as routines became busier, sales of frozen meal solutions grew by 3.7%. The Halloween aisles were hard to resist, and sales of confectionery jumped, with shoppers spending £2.3 million more compared to last year,” added Eimear.
Meanwhile, brands regained presence in Northern Irish households this month, surpassing own-labels ranges and holding a 55.3% value market share, with shopper spending increasing by an additional £147 million year-on-year. Own-label products remain an important part of retailer offerings, growing slightly in value by 2.9% year-on-year.
Tesco maintained its position at the top of the table as Northern Ireland’s largest grocer, with a 35.6% share of the market, up 6.1%. Tesco continues to benefit from more frequent trips, contributing an additional £118 million to its overall performance.
Lidl held a 9% market share, up 3% year-on-year, contributing £11.5 million to their overall performance. Sainsbury’s held a 16.6% share, up 4.7%, and saw more frequent trips, contributing an additional £56.4 million to its overall performance. Asda holds 16.4% market share, up 7.2% this period, welcoming new shoppers alongside larger trips, which contributed an additional £51.5 million overall.
