Health-focused choices drive grocery spending

Take-home sales at the grocers grew by 3.8% in the four weeks to 25 January 2026 compared with a year ago, according to new data from Worldpanel by Numerator today (Feb 3).

Meanwhile, like-for-like grocery price inflation eased back to 4.0%, the lowest level since April last year, offering some relief for shoppers.

With many shoppers looking to cut back after record spending on groceries in December, the share of spend on own label goods typically rises in January. This year was no exception, with own label accounting for 52.2% of grocery spending – the highest level ever recorded.

Promotional spending also picked up pace. While not hitting the Christmas highs, it rose by 10.9% year on year, marking the fastest rate of growth since October 2024. By contrast, full price sales edged upwards by just 1.7% compared with the same four weeks last year.

Fraser McKevitt, Head of Retail and Consumer Insight at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “For most shoppers, January is all about resetting household budgets, and this year was no exception.

"While grocery sales continue to grow and inflation eased to its lowest level in months, value remained front of mind for many – with own label hitting a record high, accounting for more than half of all grocery spend.”

New Year goals fuel nutrition-led choices

Healthy habits were a key pillar of shopper behaviour in January. Nearly a quarter of shoppers (23%) are actively seeking out high-protein options – and an even higher proportion (26%) are looking for high-fibre products.

This nutrition-driven behaviour is reflected in spending patterns, with sales of cottage cheese up 50% year on year bought by 2.8 million households – around 600,000 more than last year.

These choices are reinforcing demand for everyday naturally nutritious staples already found in most shopping baskets. Fresh fruit and dried pulses led the way with volumes up 6% year on year, alongside solid growth in fresh fish (+5%), poultry (+3%) and chilled yoghurt (+4%).

McKevitt continued: “Shoppers are actively seeking out foods that support their health goals, with strong demand for staples high in nutrients like protein and fibre. While interest in seasonal diet-focused trends like Veganuary in on the decline, shoppers are taking a more practical, balanced, and achievable approach to healthy eating, built around foods already familiar to most households.”

Paying the price for functional drinks

The search for wellness among shoppers’ is also having an impact on the drinks aisle. Functional drinks –products marketed around specific health benefits like energy, gut health, or mood enhancement – were bought by 11% of households, with spending up 13% compared with the same period last year.

McKevitt added: “In a month when consumers typically look to rein in spending, it is notable how many are still willing to pay a premium for wellness, with functional drinks costing nearly four times as much as typical soft drinks at £4.69 per litre.”

Lidl was the fastest-growing brick-and-mortar retailer, with sales up by 10.1% over the 12 weeks to 25 January 2026 compared with the same period last year. The discount retailer’s market share stands at 7.7%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points over a year ago, continuing an unbroken run of market share gains stretching back to October 2021.

Sales at Ocado increased by 14.1%, driven by growth in both customer numbers and shopping frequency. The online specialist’s market share rose to 2.1%, up from 1.9% in 2025.

Sainsbury’s saw a 5.3% rise in spending through the tills, driving a 0.2 percentage point increase to 16.2%. Tesco matched this share gain, now accounting for 28.7% of the market, with sales rising by 4.4%.

Waitrose’s growth accelerated to 5.5%, supported by the fastest rise in average spend per trip among the grocers. Market share for the John Lewis-owned supermarket held steady at 4.7%. Aldi share also remained unchanged at 10.1% with sales growing just ahead of the market, up by 3.8%.

Sales at Morrisons increased by 2.5%, with the retailer now holding 8.4% of the market, while Iceland saw sales rise by 3.2% higher with market share at 2.3%. Asda holds 11.5% of grocery sales, while convenience specialist Co-op holds a 5.0% share.

Beyond the grocers, sales of grocery items at M&S** were 6.9% higher over the 12 weeks than compared with the same time last year.