So that was Christmas 2024…and what have we learnt?

Household spending on take-home groceries in the UK hit a record high this Christmas at £460 on average, according to the latest data from Kantar which makes for interesting reading.
Overall take-home sales at the grocers rose by 2.1% over the four weeks to 29 December compared with last year.
Trends predicted pre-Christmas 2024 included feasting on the basics such as chicken and turkey; being more health conscious, eating more fresh vegetables and fruits; more indulgence with cakes and desserts; while drink choices would be diverse.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, says that despite grocery price inflation rising to 3.7%, its highest level since March 2024, it was a solid Christmas at the supermarkets with sales surpassing £13 billion during the four weeks of December for the first time ever, “showing people were clearly in the mood to celebrate and spend”.
People were also willing to splash out that little bit more than usual, as sales growth for branded goods accelerated to 4.2%, while premium own-label lines jumped by 14.6%. The latter now account for a record 7.0% of all sales, as nine in 10 households bought at least one of these products in December.
Sparkling wine and champagne were the stars of the festive drinks trolley, achieving sales growth of 4.4% at a total of £187m across the month. There was enjoyment in no or low alcohol drink, up from under 10% last year.
Going forward, can the category data reveal insights for the year ahead? Maybe. Purchasing behaviour between young and old for one, and online shopping for another.
There were some interesting splits between how younger and older shoppers prefer to indulge, according to Kantar. Fraser McKevitt notes how we all chose our own festive favourites, but it seems that age differences come into play too.
“Under 45s are far more likely to pick up a sausage roll, and they also go for a slightly more Mediterranean spin, being the most likely to reach for panettone as well as antipasti and party food as part of their Christmas shopping,” McKevitt writes. “Meanwhile over 45s account for the majority of Christmas cake and fortified wine sales. The seasonal biscuit, however, knows no bounds appealing across the generations.”
As online grocery shopping continues to gain traction as convenience remains at the forefront, with more consumers opting for the ease of having groceries delivered directly to their doorsteps. The ability to shop from anywhere at any time, coupled with time-saving features like recurring orders and personalised recommendations, has made online grocery shopping an attractive option for busy households.
McKevitt writes: “More people chose to do some of their Christmas grocery shopping online this year with 5.6m households opting for delivery or click and collect services on at least one occasion. Online spending for the month reached a record £1.6bn. This saw Ocado boost its sales by 9.6% over the 12 weeks, taking its overall share to 1.8%.”
More data will be released over this month, however those businesses that can move fast and decisively may yet be able to retain or grow their share of wallet as the year progresses. In this vein, agility remains vital, with all businesses needing to be prepared to make tough decisions and to adapt and innovate in the weeks and months ahead.
- Rodney Jack, editor, Food & Drink Technology.
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