Holiday - Neighbourhood Retailer https://neighbourhoodretailer.com The authoritative voice of the grocery industry in Northern Ireland Tue, 24 May 2022 09:32:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://neighbourhoodretailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-NR-SIte-Icon-2-32x32.png Holiday - Neighbourhood Retailer https://neighbourhoodretailer.com 32 32 178129390 Grocery prices rise at the fastest rate since 2009 – but Jubilee weekend could boost sales https://neighbourhoodretailer.com/grocery-prices-rise-at-the-fastest-rate-since-2009-but-jubilee-weekend-could-boost-sales/ Tue, 24 May 2022 09:32:35 +0000 https://neighbourhoodretailer.com/?p=21386 UK grocery prices are rising at their fastest rate since 2009, leaving people increasingly worried about the cost of the weekly shop, research suggests. Grocery

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UK grocery prices are rising at their fastest rate since 2009, leaving people increasingly worried about the cost of the weekly shop, research suggests.

Grocery prices were up 7% in the past four weeks compared with a year ago, market research firm Kantar said.

Food prices are now the second most important concern to families after spiralling energy bills, the company said.

However, Kantar says the UK is still set to splash out on food and drink over the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend.

“Looking back at the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, we saw a 10% boost in supermarket sales during the week leading up to the festivities,” said Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at the research firm.

“We should never underestimate the appetite for a party, especially a royal one.”

He said the four-day bank holiday weekend was likely to boost supermarket sales as people celebrated with friends and families and splashed out on alcohol, soft drinks, barbecue foods and desserts.

Food, fuel and energy costs have jumped recently in part due to the Ukraine war and it is squeezing households.

According to Kantar, 22% of households now describe themselves as “struggling” to make ends meet, with the rising price of the weekly shop a concern for over nine in ten of these people.

Prices are going up fastest for products such as dog food, savoury snacks and fresh beef, it said, although they are falling for alcoholic spirits.

Mr McKevitt said: “People are really feeling the squeeze at the supermarket tills and they’re having to stretch their budgets further to accommodate rising prices.

“To put the most recent numbers into context, if you were picking up supplies for a family fry up over the long weekend with toast, eggs, sausages, bacon, and beans it would cost you £6.83 – that’s a significant 40p increase on last year.”

Meanwhile, YouGov research showed that two in five Britons have been forced to reduce or stop spending on clothes, eating out, non-essential food items and takeaways over the last six months. One in five have cut or stopped spending on day trips, holidays and fuel.

According to Kantar, UK grocery sales fell by 4.4% in the 12 weeks to 15 May compared with the same period last year, when stay-at-home rules boosted sales.

Discounter Lidl was the fastest growing grocery chain, with its sales increasing by 6% in the period. That was just ahead of rival Aldi whose sales were up 5.8%.

Tesco remained the UK’s biggest supermarket, expanding its market share share for the 17th month in a row to 27.4%.

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Spar’s top tips for Halloween https://neighbourhoodretailer.com/spars-top-tips-for-halloween/ Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:44:05 +0000 https://neighbourhoodretailer.com/?p=7012 Anticipation for tomorrow’s festivities is bubbling like the Sanderson sisters’ cauldron, and Spar have some sage tricks for when little monsters come a-knockin’…   Host

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Anticipation for tomorrow’s festivities is bubbling like the Sanderson sisters’ cauldron, and Spar have some sage tricks for when little monsters come a-knockin’…

 

Host with the Most – It doesn’t matter if you’ve decorated every inch of your house with pumpkins or created the best Halloween playlist ever, we all know that great parties are judged by one thing only; the spread. If you really want to impress but without the stress, try hacking your favourite everyday party foods by making mummy pizzas, haunted red velvet cupcakes and Guaca-mouldy with frightful dippers.

 

Let the games begin – You’ve got the whole family together so it’s time for some good, old-fashioned, Halloween fun. Duck for apples, bob for apples, cover them in chocolate and toffee or bake them in a tart and see who gets the slice with the coin. Who knew you could have so much fun with an apple that didn’t need a credit card?!

 

Fancy Dress – Uh-oh, the costume. Did you forget about that again?! Fear not, SPAR has everything you need to nail your Halloween look on any budget. Not fussed on going all out? Grab a Scream mask for £2, throw on some black clothes and off you go. Fancy yourself as a bit of an artist? Pick up a palette of face paints, add a little imagination and create a Mexican-inspired Sugar Skull look. Let your little pumpkins join in too, with a kid’s pirate costume or witchy princess and a whole host of fun accessories to complete the look.

 

Avoid that sugar overload – The Hallowe’en rhymers get earlier every year, but if you want to avoid all those sweets in your house and not have them eaten before the knock at the door comes, here’s some top advice from Tara Grimes, SPAR’s local fitness and nutrition expert.

 

For more Hallowe’en Party inspiration, visit www.spar-ni.co.uk

 

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