The latest data from Worldpanel by Numerator shows food sales increased by 2.4% in the four weeks to 14th June as warm weather over the period drove consumer demand for summer staples.
Take-home sales at the grocers increased by 2.4% in the four weeks to 14th June, according to figures from Worldpanel by Numerator and like-for-like grocery inflation stood at 3%, which, it said, was concerns about the impact of the Middle East conflict filtering through to supermarket shelves.
Prices are rising fastest in markets including fresh unprocessed fish, while chilled butter & spreads are among those where they are falling fastest.
Warm weather boosted sales of summer staples
The period saw strong demand for summer staples as temperatures soared during a ten-day heatwave that saw the UK’s hottest May Day on record. Sales of fresh prepared salads and chilled dips each grew by 13% and fresh beef burger sales went up by 40%, with households looking to take advantage of the warm weather and wheeling out their barbecues.
According to Worldpanel data, spending per person on food nearly doubles when households are barbecuing, with spend per head standing at close to £5 for barbecue meals as opposed to just over £2.50 for meals prepared inside (Worldpanel usage panel, 12 w/e 10 August 2025).
“There’s something very British about the way a heatwave changes the weekly shop.”
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “There’s something very British about the way a heatwave changes the weekly shop, and shoppers didn’t need much encouragement to fire up the grill and turn to al fresco dining this time around.
“Barbecue staples performing well and shoppers turning to healthier options are a common summer trend, and we can expect to see this continue over the rest of June and into July, with the warm weather forecast to continue.”
Promotions ramp up as World Cup kicks off
The share of grocery spending on promotion rose year on year for the 39th consecutive month, with 30.4% of all sales now on some form of deal, according to Worldpanel.
June is seeing its highest promotional activity for five years as retailers compete for basket space among fans stocking up ahead of matches in the FIFA Men’s World Cup. Snacks, crisps and chilled pizza have all been “hotspots” for deals.
McKevitt added: “Nearly a third of all grocery spending is now on promotion, and that upward streak shows no sign of breaking.
“Combined with strong online growth, it points to shoppers who know what they want and are increasingly confident about where and how to find the best deal. In short, retailers are having to compete hard for that summer shop.”
Online food retail is growing ahead of the market
Online grocery is growing ahead of the total market, with Worldpanel figures showing combined online sales across all grocers rose by 9.1% over the period and nearly a quarter of all British households making at least one online grocery purchase.
Over the 12 weeks to 14th June 2026, Ocado was the fastest growing retailer, with sales up by 13.5% compared with the same period a year ago. Its market share rose by 0.2% to 2.2%.
Discounter Lidl attracted more than half a million additional shoppers over the 12 weeks compared to the same period last year, seeing a 0.5% increase in market share to 8.7%, which was the greatest increase for any retailer this month, said Worldpanel.
Convenience retailer Co-op returned to market share growth over the period, increasing share from 5.2% last year to 5.3% this year as sales grew by 2.7%. A cyberattack last year affected its figures for 2025.
Britain’s second largest retailer, Sainsbury’s also grew ahead of the market, with spending through the tills up by 2%, adding 0.1% to its share, which now accounts for 15.3% of sales.
Sales at Tesco, the UK’s largest grocer, grew by 1.2% and it now holds 28% market share. Morrisons share remained flat year on year at 8.4%, with sales up by 1.4%. Asda holds 11.5% market share and Aldi 10.7%.
Sales at Waitrose grew by 1.7% and 2.2% at Iceland, meaning both retailers maintained the same market share, at 4.5% and 2.2%, respectively. Grocery sales at M&S rose by 11.7% over the 12-week period.
