The big shop is back
With more people returning to the office full time, Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts says shopping habits are changing and the big weekly trolley shop is “resurging”. He also stressed that “nothing beats value for money” for shoppers. [Source: The Sunday Times]
Inflation fears
Concern about inflation among the British public is at its highest level since November 2019, a Bank of England survey has found. [Source: Reuters]
Cutting back on eating out
Spend at bars, pubs and clubs fell by 2% in February, making this the lowest monthly growth the sector has seen in 12 months. Spend at restaurants, cafés and bakeries was down 0.3%. Barclays says consumers are prioritising other categories, including wellness and travel. [Source: Barclays Consumer Spending Report]
‘Treat yourself’ culture
While functional health remains a big trend, many brands in the dairy drinks category are increasingly going big on indulgence in response to ‘treat yourself’ culture. [Source: The Grocer]
Crumpets are flying
As people seek comfort food, Waitrose and Ocado are reporting strong sales of crumpets. They’re also proving popular on social media, and restaurants are doing high-end versions of them, including topping them with oxtail. [Source: Daily Mail]
Calls for more food taxes
A University of Reading report says tougher government intervention is needed to curb the UK’s obesity crisis. Extending the current sugar levy to all processed foods is one of the proposals, as well as a new salt levy. [Source: Food Manufacture]
TikTok Shop the future for grocery?
Following its sell-out £5 high-protein bundle last month, and the launch of its own viral Dubai chocolate, experts see Lidl’s ‘debut on TikTok Shop as a sign of things to come’. While Tiktok says 56% of UK users made purchases directly through social media last year. [Source: The Grocer]
No end to the protein craze
Google searches for ‘protein’ hit their highest ever point in January and Ocado says more than 40% of UK consumers have increased their protein intake over the last year. [Source: The Economist]
Ultra-processed kids
The popularity of heavily processed toddler food in pouches is creating a generation of children who don’t know how to use cutlery, crave ultra-sweet foods and can’t tolerate different textures, some experts have warned. [Source: The Guardian]
Designer larder
High-end store cupboard staples such as beans, sardines and olive oil are increasingly becoming status symbols. Some experts believe Covid transformed cooking habits, prompting more shoppers to embrace high-end ingredients. [Source: The Telegraph]
