The speed of the increase in Irish grocery prices accelerated again, according to the most recent release on the country’s retail market from Worldpanel by Numerator.

Those prices are now 6.5% higher than during the same period last year, up from 6.3% the previous month.

Worldpanel said that consumers can reduce their personal level of inflation by trading to lower-cost substitute products or seek more offers.

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The research showed some evidence of that behaviour, with purchases of products on promotion hitting the highest level since June.

Increase

Overall spending on groceries increased by 6.2%, with spending on goods on promotion rising 10.2%, an increase of €71.5m over the same period last year.

Looking at market share, Dunnes maintains its leading position with 24.4%, while Tesco is a close second at 23.7%. Lidl and Aldi combined account for 25.5% of grocery spending in Ireland.

Business development director at Worldpanel by Numerator Emer Healy said: “The next few weeks is a busy time for shoppers.

"But with the latest budget for 2026 being announced against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, there will be more pressure on shoppers and it may have an impact on their discretionary spending.

"The end of one-off payments such as the energy credit and double child benefit, along with rising fuel and other household costs, will put extra pressure on many families, especially as tax bands remain unchanged and some credits are no longer available.”