Data from Kantar shows that grocery sales in Northern Ireland were down 6.3% over the year to 17 April.
This reflects the easing of lockdown restrictions with shoppers buying less to eat and drink at home as they go out to restaurants and bars again and buy items on the go.
Kantar noted that the change is really brought to life by the latest 12-week data which is compared against the winter lockdown last year. With shoppers getting out and about again, they made more frequent trips to store, with visits increasing by 2%, while basket sizes dropped by 8.8%.
Emer Healy, senior retail analyst at Kantar, commented: “As routines get busier, convenience seems to be top of mind for shoppers. The number of online orders made over the past three months has jumped by 7.6% versus last year. Sales of frozen prepared foods are up £763,000 while chilled prepared products have also grown £500,000 as people opt for quicker and easier meals.
“Covid-19’s influence on our shopping habits is dwindling, however inflation will become a much more dominant factor driving behavioural changes in the months ahead. Annual grocery price inflation in Northern Ireland is now running at 2.8% and we’re expecting this figure will continue to climb as the cost of living rises.”
Looking at individual retailer performances, all the main multiples recorded significant declines in sales on a year-on-year basis.
However, Lidl appears to be benefitting from shoppers watching their pennies and was the only retailer to achieve growth over the past year (+0.6%).
NAM Implications:
- ‘Annual grocery price inflation in Northern Ireland is now running at 2.8%’
- This has to be ‘for starters’ i.e. think Brexit, NI Protocol along with high inflation yet to come…
- And Lidl up 19.4% vs pre-Lockdown says how it will be…
