The latest data on the Irish grocery market from Worldpanel by Numerator shows that supermarket prices were 6.06% higher than a year earlier in the 12 weeks to 2 November.

This is a drop of 0.5 percentage points from the pace of inflation seen to the beginning of October.

Consumers are both spending more on groceries and have made more trips to the shops in the most recent four-week period, according to the release.

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Worldpanel said that nearly one quarter (22%) of all grocery sales were for goods on promotion, up from 16.1% a year ago, suggesting that consumers are seeking out bargains where they can.

Worldpanel noted that promotional activity typically intensifies in the lead-up to Christmas, suggesting that the high proportion of sales on promotion will continue into December.

Total spending

Total spending increased by 5.5%, with spending on branded goods increasing at a slightly slower 5.2%. Supermarket own-label products saw a 6.3% increase in sales, again suggesting that consumers are opting for cheaper products when they are available.

Worldpanel’s inflation measure is calculated based on shopping habits remaining unchanged from period to period. By trading down from branded to own-label goods and by buying goods on promotion, consumers can lower their personal inflation measure and avoid being hit by the full 6% annual increase.

On market share, Dunnes once again retained the number one spot with 24.6% of the market. Tesco is a close second with 23.8% market share, Supervalu holds 19.4% and Lidl and Aldi are at 14% and 11.2% respectively.