Monday 23rd set to be single busiest shopping day this year for grocers
Supermarket sales are forecast to exceed £13 billion over the four weeks of December for the first time ever.
As Kantar released its latest inflation update and supermarket share, the analysts announced that take-home sales at the grocers increased by 2.5% over the four weeks to 1st December, as shoppers get ready for Christmas.
Supermarket sales are expected to continue growing, with Monday 23rd December set to be the single busiest day for supermarkets this year.
The cost of a Christmas dinner for four has risen to £32.57, up by 6.5% – largely driven by the price of turkey and Christmas vegetable staples, while wider grocery price inflation remains relatively stable at 2.6%, with grocers prioritising low pricing over multibuys.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar said that while Monday 23rd December is expected to be the busiest shopping day of the year, there are clear signs that shoppers are already stocking up their cupboards.
“Sales of assorted sweet biscuits and biscuits for cheese both doubled in November compared with the month before, while 8% of us bought a Christmas pudding,” said Fraser McKevitt.
“Many of us take the chance to treat ourselves at this time of year and retailers are rolling out seasonal product lines to help us celebrate in style. The proportion of spending on premium own-label products reached 5% over the latest four weeks and we expect it to climb even higher in December to nearly 7%.”
Sales on promotion reached 30% in November, the highest since Christmas last year, with Fraser McKevitt adding that this is being driven by retailer price cuts, often accessed through loyalty cards.
“While multibuy promotions have stayed flat, spending on price cut offers has grown by 14%, worth £355 million more than last year,” added Fraser.
“Shoppers are grabbing the chance to spend that little bit more than usual on Christmas specials, and champagne, wine and spirits saw the biggest levels of buying on deal.”
Meanwhile, Tesco achieved its highest market share since December 2017, at 28.1% – up from 27.4% in 2023, with its sales growing by 5.2% in the 12 weeks ending 1st December 2024.
Sainsbury’s share increased by 0.3 percentage points to 15.9% and spending through its tills was 4.7% higher than last year. Tesco and Sainsbury’s now have a combined market share of 44%.
Lidl was the fastest growing bricks-and-mortar grocer, with sales up by 6.6%, its share climbed 0.3 percentage points to 7.7%, while its footfall stepped up by nearly 10% in comparison to a year ago.
“The number of different retailers we visit in the run up to Christmas is higher than at other times during the year, including wider high street brands like M&S,” added Fraser McKevitt.
“Just under one in three households, at 32%, bought food, drink and other groceries to have at home from M&S during the 12 weeks to 1st December and looking at grocery sales along, spending at M&S rose by 10.4%.”
