UK supermarket sales growth slows amid return to normality

Supermarket sales growth in the UK slowed in the last 12 weeks as shopping habits eased back to normality after the Covid-19 lockdown, according to data released on Tuesday by market research firm Kantar.

In the 12 weeks to 9 August, grocery sales rose 14.4%, down slightly on the previous month.

Kantar said local lockdowns have meant that many of the trends of the past five months are still apparent. For example, shoppers made fewer trips to store in the past four weeks than they did a month ago.

The mandatory wearing of face covering in shops has also had an impact. The week after the rule was put in place, shoppers visited supermarkets two million fewer times than expected.

The survey found that online grocery reached a new record market share, now accounting for 13.5% of all sales.

Morrisons was the best performer out of the ‘big four’ supermarkets, with sales up 16%. Tesco sales rose 12.8%, while Sainsbury’s and Walmart-owned Asda saw sales increase 10.9% and 9.5%, respectively.

Charlotte Scott, consumer insight director at Kantar, said: "While things are far from normal, the data shows a gradual softening of the more extreme lockdown trends in the grocery market.

"The relaxing of rules across much of the country means shoppers are less inclined to stock up their cupboards with regular large trips. That has seen average spend drop below £25 for the first time since March. However, at £24, it is still a world away from the pre-Covid average of £19 per trip."