Value-for-money was at the forefront of parents minds this September, with the return to school and work seeing many shoppers tightening their budgets.

The latest data from Worldpanel by Numerator found 18 million fewer trips to the grocers recorded in the in the four weeks to 6 September 2026, compared to a peak of 497 million in July.

Average spend per shopper on school uniform was £54.53, down from £62.29 in the corresponding period last year, or a 12.4 per cent year-on-year decline. Shoppers turned to promotions and second-hand items to manage household budgets.

More than four in ten households are now prioritising keeping costs low above all else when it comes to buying uniform, even if that means compromising slightly on quality. While a third are still looking to strike a balance between the two.

Overall, grocery did see a 2 per cent boost in the lead up to school term starting. Classic lunchtime favourites were a visible presence in shopping baskets, as parents turned their attention back to filling up their children’s lunchboxes.

Sandwiches featured in more than half of all kids’ lunchboxes, and the number of households with children buying loaves of bread rose by more than half a million in the seven days to 6 September compared to the previous week.

The number buying satsumas (+29 per cent) and cucumbers (+21 per cent) also surged in the final week before term time.

Branded goods outpaced own label this month for only the second time in the past year, with sales up 3.7 per cent compared to 2.9 per cent growth for own label – a reversal of a pattern that has defined much of 2026.

Despite this shift, shoppers have kept a strong appetite for promotions. Spending on grocery deals rose £243 million, or 7.0 per cent year on year, significantly outstripping full-price sales growth of just 1.4 per cent.

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