Britons are embracing local and last-minute convenience as growth at convenience stores has grown by +2.1 per cent compared with the same period last year, suggests NielsenIQ data released today (17).
In-store visits at UK stores have grown 6.5 per cent in the last four weeks ending 6th November 2021, equating to 28 million more visits compared with the same period last year, reveals new data released today (17) by NielsenIQ, suggesting that Britons are embracing omnichannel shopping ahead of Christmas.
Share of online sales has fallen to 12.2 per cent, down from 12.6 per cent in the previous four weeks.
Although sale has increased at convenience stores, grocery sales have fallen 2.0 per cent in the last four weeks ending 6th November. primarily due to high comparatives during the same period last year, when shoppers stocked up ahead of the second lockdown that began on 4th November 2020. When compared with pre-covid figures in 2019, sales increased +4.9 per cent implying that consumer spending has still not yet completely shifted back to hospitality and leisure.
Mike Watkins, NielsenIQ’s UK head of retailer and business insight, said, “Across the industry the average spend per visit has increased for the first time since July, up to £18.60 as shoppers get back into a regular grocery shopping mindset. Shoppers are also returning to stores again and spending is expected to remain robust for the next six weeks with Christmas advertising campaigns now helping to boost the festive shopping momentum.
“Last year, Christmas was effectively cancelled, so this year we can expect shoppers to be spending far more than last year on festive food and drink, especially if they choose to economise by entertaining at home rather than eating out. This will no doubt support supermarket sales this Christmas, and at NielsenIQ, we anticipate that shoppers will spend a total of £33bn across the major supermarkets in Q4.”
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