Sales at UK supermarkets slowed throughout the past four weeks ending 15th July 2023, according to NIQ.
The consumer intelligence company revealed total till sales were down to 8.9%, compared to 12.4% in June.
NIQ said the dip was partly caused by the unusually high growth experienced in June, but was also combined with a slowdown in food inflation trading against previous high comparatives.
The company revealed volume sales at the grocery multiples were down from -2% to -3.6%.
This was caused by customers readjusting their spending ahead of their summer holidays, as well as cooler and wetter weather in the w/e 14th July.
Subscribe to Retail Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest news straight into your inbox each morning
Meanwhile, discounts and promotions now account for 22.5% of grocer sales, up from 20% in the same period last year, as more shops lower prices to help customers manage rising costs.
The figure makes this the highest in the last 12 months, excluding Christmas and Easter.
Bargain hunters helped in-store sales (9.4%) rise above online purchases (4.3%), with customers splashing out £800m more in-store than this time last year.
NIQ also found an increasing demand for value retail chains, including B&M, Home Bargains and Poundland, where FMCG sales rose 11% as shoppers seek to cut costs in the supermarket.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
