According to retail analysts, Kantar, this was up 9.7% year-on-year.

The average household spent an all-time high of £5598, up £482 year-on-year, with shoppers visiting stores more often, making an average of five more trips than last year. However, the number of packs bought continues to fall year-on-year by 0.6%.

Grocery inflation now stands at 10.7% for April, the seventh consecutive month of decline and a level last seen in February 2023.

Emer Healy, Business Development Director at Kantar said that although inflation levels are falling, they are still exceptionally high, especially when compared to the Republic of Ireland (2.9%) and Great Britain (3.2%).

“Consumers in Northern Ireland are still facing significant pressures on their household budgets, making the landscape as competitive as ever,” said Emer.

“Retailers are putting emphasis on own-label lines and promotions to attract shoppers through the door. Nearly 22% of sales in April were made through a promotional offer, a level this high has not been seen since October 2020.”

Own-label remains popular as shoppers tighten the purse strings, growing by 10.9% year-on-year, with shoppers spending an additional £183 million on these ranges versus last year. Brands grew slightly behind the market at 9.5% year-on-year and hold 54.4% value market share.

“Shoppers in Northern Ireland indulged in all things chocolate this Easter and spent an additional £4.2 million on confectionery, up 7.2% versus last year,” added Emer.

“That was even stronger for Easter eggs, which were up 16.8% year-on-year, with shoppers spending an additional £2.1 million compared to last year. Over 67% of Northern Irish households purchased an Easter egg over the 12 weeks to 14^th April.”

Meanwhile, Tesco maintains its position at the top of the table and is Northern Ireland’s largest grocer with a 35.1% share of the market, up 10.3%. Tesco welcomed more frequent trips, which contributed an additional £97.3 million to their overall performance.

Lidl holds 9.2% market share, up 13% year-on-year. Lidl welcomed new shoppers in store alongside more frequent trips, which contributed £13.7 million to their overall performance.

Sainsbury’s holds 16.9% share, up 12.6%. More frequent trips contributed an additional £143 million to their overall performance. Asda holds 16.1% of the market, up 10.7% this period and saw a boost in frequency and new shoppers, which contributed an additional £16.5 million to their overall performance.

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Ice cream remains an incredibly popular purchase for Northern Ireland consumers, indeed 91.4% of households here purchased ice cream up to week ending 18^th February 2024 (Kantar), only marginally down on 93% in 2022.

Widely considered a tasty treat, ice cream has only grown in popularity as it becomes increasingly used in desserts. First invented in China almost 4000 years ago, vanilla remains the most popular flavour, although with hundreds of flavours now available, there really is something for everyone.

Such is the demand for top-quality, delicious local ice cream (on average ice cream has been bought 15.5 times across 2024, Kantar), that it has become a key industry in the province with several producers making their mark.

Big Night In occasions are as important as ever, providing retailers an opportunity to drive their sales at a time when consumers are still feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, so treats at home are a key driver.

Research conducted by Haagen-Dazs revealed that one in three shoppers were hosting a big night in occasion on a weekly basis, and 60% of consumers were planning to choose ice cream for a movie night at home.

One of the top five most impulsive categories, luxury ice cream can provide great sales in-store, so visibility is key for freezers, maximising space with year-round growth drivers.

With exciting NPD in ice cream, retailers and consumers alike can be guaranteed a cool few months ahead.

CHECK OUT THE FULL ICE CREAM FEATURE IN THE FEBRUARY-MARCH ISSUE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER HERE

The post Freeze! Time to get the chill factor ahead of summer first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Over the four weeks to 17^th March, grocery price inflation eased to 4.5%, its lowest level since February 2022, according to the latest Kantar data. However, despite this continued slowdown, many households are still feeling the squeeze.

Take-home grocery sales rose by 4.6% over the four weeks, with an early Easter boosting sales of seasonal treats in the first three months of 2024, by £88 million, compared with the same period last year.

Meanwhile, sales of branded goods pushed ahead of own label this month, while premium own-label lines saw growth of 16.1%, the quickest rate in almost three years.

As head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, Fraser McKevitt explains, consumers are still on the hunt for value.

“Among those feeling most pressured, 78% are actively buying cheaper groceries, while 68% are using promotions to help manage budgets,” said Fraser McKevitt.

“Retailers appear to be responding in kind, with the emphasis on discounts and price match schemes continuing this period. £605 million more was spent on deals this month than in March last year.”

With Easter on the horizon, Fraser added that a quarter of people have been picking up four or more items when buying chocolate eggs.

“This rises to 29% for shoppers aged over 65, suggesting that many grandparents are planning to indulge their families this weekend,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the supermarket share, year-on-year sales at Tesco and Sainsbury’s climbed by 5.8% and 6.7% respectively, their shares of the market nudged up by 0.4 percentage points each to 27.3% and 15.2%.

Lidl grew by 8.8% to capture a 7.8% share of the market, helped by a 24% rise in sales of baked goods and a 11% jump in fruit, vegetables and salads.

“Premium own-label lines have been a big beneficiary of consumers trading down, growing by a whopping 16.1% this month – the quickest rate we’ve seen in nearly three years,” added Fraser McKevitt.

“However, sales of branded goods pushed just ahead of own label overall, increasing sales by 6.1% and 4.7% respectively in the latest four weeks.”

The post Further ease in grocery price inflation but shoppers still feeling pressure first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

The rebrand will create a consistent identity across the Pepsi MAX®, diet, regular and flavoured cola ranges, with new packaging visuals, in-store materials and displays.

The roll-out will be supported by a fully integrated campaign, including TV, digital, out-of-home, in store branding and experiential marketing. In line with Pepsi’s Thirsty for More campaign, it will highlight Pepsi’s commitment to celebrating those who challenge conventions and want to have fun, while forging deeper connections through shared passions. The campaign underscores how the great, bold taste of Pepsi fuels these moments of enjoyment.

As Ireland’s fastest growing cola brand[1], this rebrand forms part of Pepsi’s vision to ensure long-term growth in the cola category. Pepsi Max, a €28.5 million brand[2], continues to recruit more buyers into the cola category than any other brand[3].

In a blind taste challenge, 66% of Irish people preferred the taste of Pepsi Max[4]. The new design focuses on great taste and refreshment, aligning with research showing that taste is a key driver for carbonated soft drinks[5]. By modernising its flagship Pepsi brand with bolder, more vibrant packaging, this refresh helps retailers capitalise on sales amid evolving consumer tastes, in particular the no sugar category has grown by over 13% in 2023[6].

The vibrant new look will grab attention at shelf, playing a key role in enticing new consumers into the category. This rebrand will help retailers maximise sales by sparking a renewed interest in the brand. Pepsi and Pepsi MAX are well-known and loved by many, but as a brand with such a rich history, it’s vital that we work to evolve its look and feel, driving relevance for the next generation.

[1] Nielsen Total Scantrack, Sales Value, MAT data to 31st December 2023

[2] Nielsen Total Scantrack, Sales Value, MAT data to 31st December 2023

[3] Kantar Latest 52 weeks, data to 24^th December 2023

[4] In a blind taste challenge on the island of Ireland from 13.09.22 to 04.12.22, 10,014 out of 15,200 people surveyed (66%) preferred the taste of Pepsi Max to IOI’s biggest selling full sugar cola. For verification, see www.pepsimax.ie

[5] Empathy Brand & Usage Tracker, July to September 2023

[6] Nielsen Total Scantrack, Sales Value, MAT data to 31st December 2023

The post Pepsi unveils major rebrand to shake up the cola category first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

According to the latest Kantar data, value was still a priority for shoppers, with £586 million more being spent on promotions than the same month last year, while take-home grocery sales grew in value by 5.1% for the four weeks to 18^th February 2024.

Following the increasingly-popular consumer commitment to ‘dry January’, alcohol sales enjoyed a boost, up 18% in volume terms.

The Kantar data also shows that Valentine’s Day this year was marked on a budget, with £36 million spent on meal deals costing £10 or more in the week before 14^th February.

As strategic insight director at Kantar, Tom Steel explains, things are looking up for shoppers.

“Consumers have been navigating a grocery inflation rate of more than 4% for two years now, so this latest easing of price rises is especially welcome,” he said.

“Though there’s been lots of discussion about the impact the Red Sea shipping crisis might have on the cost of goods, supermarkets have been pulling out all the stops to keep prices down and help people manage their budgets.”

PROMOTIONS PAY OFF

Tom added that promotions accelerated this month after a post-Christmas slowdown, with consumers spending on offers increasing by 4% in February.

“Sainsbury’s and Iceland’s efforts paid off in particular,” said Tom. “They were the only retailers to attract more shoppers through their doors.

“The battle between supermarkets’ own-label lines and brands also remains fierce. Own-label nipped ahead this month, growing sales by 5.5% versus branded products at 5.3%”

February saw a return to indulgence for some consumers as dry January came to an end, with consumers buying 28% more wine and 16% more beer and lager. Red wine was particularly popular, with eight million more bottles bought this month than in January.

Meanwhile, Lidl was the only retailer to achieve double-digit growth, with sales up by 10.9% over the 12 weeks to 18^th February 2024, making it the fastest growing grocer for the sixth month running. It now holds a 7.5% share of the market, an increase of 0.4 percentage points.

The post Grocery price inflation falls to lowest rate in almost two years first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.