UK grocery inflation has hit another record high of 13.9%, as supermarket own-label sales increased by 8.1%, according to the latest data from market research firm Kantar.
The rise in inflation means the average UK household is facing a jump of £643 in their annual grocery bill, to £5,265 if they continue to buy the same items.
However, according to the data, branded items declined by 0.7%, with shoppers finding other ways to get the items they want for less.
“Of course, consumers are looking for ways to manage budgets and to avoid paying more for their shopping. We’re generally reluctant to change what we eat, so this is more about sticking to the food we know and love while hunting for cheaper alternatives like supermarkets’ own label goods,” Kantar head of retail and consumer insight Fraser McKevitt said.
“People are pretty savvy at seeking out best value and retailers are expanding their ranges to help them do this.
“We’ve seen grocers making a virtue of visually imperfect fruit and vegetables in recent years, allowing them to carry on offering the fresh products consumers want but at a cheaper price.”
The market researcher added that grocery sales also increased by 4.8% in the 12 weeks to 2 October year-on-year.
According to the data many shoppers have been converted and sales of ranges like Tesco Perfectly Imperfect or Morrisons Naturally Wonky were up collectively by 38% this month.
