// Waitrose says sales of spam and fish heads are both up by a third, according to its latest food and drink report
// A poll for the supermarket found that 72% of consumers are now “more mindful” about their grocery budget
Sales of spam and fish heads are both up by a third at Waitrose as shoppers look to reduce their grocery spend amid the cost-of-living crisis.
The premium supermarket said the “use-it-all trend” and move to cheaper slow cooking seemed to be behind sales of beef shin, ox cheek and lamb neck increasing by 23%, 9% and 4% respectively.
Sales of fish heads are up by an “incredible” 34% on last year while spam sales rose by 36%, according to the annual Waitrose Food & Drink report.
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Waitrose executive director James Bailey said: “The events of the last year have created a difficult backdrop for many people and like all supermarkets we’ve had to judge the mood and react. We’re seeing some big changes.”
“As customers’ budgets are squeezed, making sure you don’t waste the food you do buy will become more important,” Bailey said.
Consumers face the highest rate of grocery price inflation on record, with the average household facing a £643 jump in their annual bill to £5,265 if they continue to buy the same items.
The rising cost of living is affecting food shopping for the overwhelming majority of households, with 72% of survey respondents saying that they were “more mindful” of their grocery budget.
More than a third told Waitrose that they were “very concerned” about how rising costs would affect them as winter approached.
Sales of air fryers jumped by 56% in August to households searching for methods of cooking that involve less energy use.
One in five consumers switched from packaged to loose vegetables to save money and 23% switched to own brand products.
The popularity of “yellow-sticker’’ items has also risen this year, with one in four shoppers saying they keep an eye out for discounted goods. A measure used by a quarter of respondents was making a shopping list and sticking to it, the survey revealed.
Although most shoppers had tightened their belts, 30% of those surveyed said they were buying more treats this year, with custard tarts, éclairs and cappuccino mousse topping the list of bestselling desserts.
Reducing the amount of food waste is also a priority for many people, with nearly two thirds of those surveyed stating that they “feel guilty about food wastage”. In an effort to reduce costs and cut food waste, 39% of people increased the use of their freezer this year.
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