UK Grocery Inflation Ticks Higher As Shoppers Continue To Chase Value

UK grocery price inflation edged higher in early September, adding further pressure to household budgets as shoppers continued to seek out promotions and prioritise essential purchases.

Like-for-like grocery inflation reached 2.3% in the four weeks to 6 September, up from 2.1% in the previous month, according to Worldpanel by Numerator.

Although the rate increased, Worldpanel described inflation as relatively subdued and significantly below the levels recorded earlier in the year.

Take-home grocery sales rose by 2.0% during the four-week period compared with the same time last year. Shopping frequency fell as the summer holidays ended, however, with 18 million fewer trips to grocery stores recorded than July’s peak of 497 million.

Promotions remained a powerful influence on purchasing decisions. Spending on grocery deals increased by £243 million, or 7.0%, year on year, substantially ahead of the 1.4% growth recorded for full-price sales.

Branded products outperformed own-label ranges for only the second time during the past year. Branded sales grew by 3.7%, compared with 2.9% growth for own label, reversing one of the dominant shopping patterns seen during much of 2026.

The return to school also drove a noticeable change in grocery baskets, with parents replenishing lunchbox supplies. Sandwiches featured in 57.5% of children’s lunchboxes, while the number of households with children buying loaves of bread increased by more than half a million during the seven days to 6 September compared with the previous week.

Fresh produce also benefited from the back-to-school shift. The number of households buying satsumas surged by 29% week on week, while cucumber-buying households increased by 21%.

Among the major grocery retailers, Asda returned to growth for the first time since March 2024, with sales rising by 0.1% over the 12 weeks to 6 September. The retailer maintained an 11.5% share of the market.

Ocado remained the fastest-growing grocer for the 30th consecutive reporting period, with sales up by 13.3%. Its market share increased from 2.0% to 2.2%.

Lidl’s sales climbed by 8.0%, supported by strong performances in fresh produce, confectionery and soft drinks. Its share of the market increased from 8.3% a year earlier to 8.7%.

Sainsbury’s sales rose by 2.9%, while Morrisons recorded growth of 2.8%. Their respective market shares remained unchanged at 15.2% and 8.4%.

Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, increased sales by 1.7%, although its market share slipped from 28.1% to 27.8%. Aldi sales were 0.7% higher, giving the discounter a 10.6% share.

Grocery-only sales at Marks & Spencer grew by 14.8%. Worldpanel does not provide a directly comparable grocery market share for M&S because clothing and general merchandise account for a higher proportion of its overall sales mix.

The latest figures, also reported by Reuters, indicate that value remains central to consumer behaviour, even as the pace of grocery price increases stays well below the highs seen earlier in 2026.