Business Intelligence

NIELSENIQ

Shoppers shifting back to in-store shopping

New data implies that consumer spending has still not yet completely shifted back to hospitality and leisure.

In-store visits to convenience stores have grown by 2.1% year-on-year in the past four weeks ending 6 November, new research reveals.

The data from NielsenIQ also reveals that in-store visits at supermarkets have increased by 6.5% in the four-week period.

As a result of this shift back to in-store shopping, the data shows that the online share of sales has fallen to 12.2%, down from 12.6% in the previous four weeks. Total online sales declined 8.6% primarily due to smaller online basket spend. Meanwhile, the percentage of households shopping online every four weeks fell 3% year-on-year, showing that shoppers are sticking with online.

The data reveals total till grocery sales fell -2.0% in the past four weeks primarily due to high comparatives during the same period last year. When compared with pre-Covid figures in 2019, sales increased 4.9%, implying that consumer spending has still not yet completely shifted back to hospitality and leisure.

Mike Watkins, NielsenIQ’s UK Head of Retailer and Business Insight, said: “Across the industry the average spend per visit has increased for the first time since July, up to £18.60 as shoppers get back into a regular grocery shopping mindset. Shoppers are also returning to stores again and spending is expected to remain robust for the next six weeks with Christmas advertising campaigns now helping to boost the festive shopping momentum.

“Last year, Christmas was effectively cancelled, so this year we can expect shoppers to be spending far more than last year on festive food and drink, especially if they choose to economise by entertaining at home rather than eating out. This will no doubt support supermarket sales this Christmas, and at NielsenIQ, we anticipate that shoppers will spend a total of £33bn across the major supermarkets in the fourth quarter.”