UK grocery sales during the week of the Coronation ended on 6 May amounted to £2.8 billion (€3.2 billion), exceeding the £2.7 billion (€3.1 billion) registered during the Jubilee week in June 2022, according to the latest data from NIQ.
Categories including party accessories (+107%), cream and custard (73%), sparkling wine (71%), champagne (70%) and preserves (60%) saw the highest category growth compared to the previous year.
Many shoppers created their own teatime treats to mark the occasion, NIQ said, and this was reflected in an uplift in sales for ingredients such as fresh dough/pastry (+56%), eggs (+45%), and sugar and sweeteners (+40%).
There was also an increase in sales of beer, wine and spirits (+23%) compared to the same week the previous year, data showed.
'A Balancing Act'
Mike Watkins, UK head of retailer and business insight at NIQ said, "The latest figures show that despite many being financially constrained in the cost-of-living crisis, shoppers still allowed themselves to indulge in additional groceries and treats so they could celebrate the Coronation and long weekend.
"However, this is a balancing act - while one week they are allowing themselves to indulge, the weeks in between still indicate cost-saving measures, such as stocking up on frozen goods or ambient - shelf-stable - goods that are cheaper and last longer. The Coronation has added a welcome boost to grocery sales, with many shoppers taking advantage of retailers’ discounts and other incentives."
Read More: One In Five UK Households To Buy More Groceries For Coronation: NIQ
Frozen (16.3%) was the highest-performing category in terms of sales in the week before the coronation, according to NIQ data from the week ending 29 April.
It indicates planned cost-saving measures, wherein shoppers stocked up their freezers with frozen poultry (31%), frozen potatoes (29%) and frozen chips (28%), as they sought to reign in spending in the week before the Coronation.
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
