Latest grocery figures highlight free from boom
Supermarket sales increased in value by 1.4% compared to the same time last year, according to the latest grocery market share figures from Kantar Worldpanel, published for the 12 weeks ending 26 March.
Slower growth was primarily due to Easter falling outside the latest 12 weeks, while the celebration fell within the comparable period last year.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, explains, “Despite rising prices, we’ve seen shoppers’ minds turn to healthy eating after the excess of the festive period and before the temptation of Easter. Greater demand for gluten- or dairy-free products, particularly from younger shoppers, has boosted the free from category by 36% year on year. In fact, 54% of the population purchased a free from product during the past three months – that’s 3.3 million more people than last year.”
