Grocery inflation eased to 2.6 per cent in July, while shopping frequency reached record levels since the pandemic
Grocery price inflation in Britain slowed to 2.6 per cent in the four weeks to 12 July 2026, its lowest rate since December 2024, according to Worldpanel by Numerator.
Worldpanel’s figures also show shopping frequency reached its highest level since March 2020, with take-home sales from the grocers accelerating to 3.3 per cent. Households made 497 million trips over the four weeks, an average of 17 per household, thanks to eased inflation and a spell of warm weather.
The sales data offers some relief to shoppers, landing on the same day Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to unveil fresh measures to help provide “breathing space” for households struggling with the cost of living.
However, Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “Easing price rises will come as welcome news to shoppers, but the annual bill tells a fuller story.
“The average household spent £5,530 on groceries over the 12 months to July, up £156 on the same period last year – a reminder that even as the rate of inflation cools, the cumulative cost of the weekly shop keeps climbing.”
For the fresh produce sector, July’s combination of warm weather and major sporting events helped drive demand for seasonal products. Wimbledon fortnight delivered a particularly strong boost, with shoppers spending £77mn on strawberries and £21mn on cream.
McKevitt added that sport and sunshine combined to shape shopping habits in July, as British shoppers bought more fresh and seasonal products associated with outdoor eating.
Among the retailers, Lidl recorded the largest market share gain over the 12 weeks to 12 July, increasing its share by 0.5 percentage points as sales rose by 8.6 per cent.
In the same time period, Ocado’s sales increased by 14.1 per cent, the greatest increase of all.
Elsewhere sales at Asda fell 1.1 per cent on the year before, though this was a noticeable improvement on the -3.6 per cent reported in the previous four-week period.
