Grocery take-home sales increased by 3.4% in the four weeks to 22 February this year, compared with the same period last year, the latest data from analysts Worldpanel by Numerator has shown.
Like-for-like grocery inflation also rose slightly to 4.3%, having fallen in each of the previous four months.
In addition, shoppers increasingly chose to buy online, with these sales up 9.7% year-on-year. More than 18m orders were placed over the four weeks, taking the channel’s share to 13% - the highest since July 2021.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “More affluent families in London and the south-east of England are still the most likely to shop for groceries online. However, the channel’s appeal is broadening, with shoppers from a wider range of economic backgrounds increasingly drawn to its convenience.”
Shoppers also dialled up the romance at home this Valentine’s Day with premium dine-in experiences. Spending on high-end meal deals - at £10 or more - hit £39m in the week of Valentine’s Day, seven times higher than the previous week.
The meal deal uplift began in the middle of the week, with sales accelerating from Wednesday 11 February, alongside a noticeable pop in sparkling wine purchases. However, many shoppers left it to the last minute, with nearly 12% of households picking up a premium meal deal on Friday night alone.
Also covered in the same time period, Pancake Day saw sales of ingredients surge in the seven days leading up to Shrove Tuesday, with flour up 34%, sugar 17% and lemons soaring by 70% as shoppers stocked up for the annual tradition.
Notably, demand for convenience was also clear, with sales of pre-made pancake mixes more than doubling that week (+114%). However, those flipping their own paid slightly more for the privilege, as the cost of key ingredients reached £7.77, an increase of 42p or nearly 6% on 2025.
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