UK households who buy 'toilet roll, butter or milk' warned

UK households can finally stock up on butter, milk and toilet roll - as the price began to dip - with a fall in grocery inflation across the country. But they've been warned "cutting back on spending" is becoming the UK norm. Supermarket prices were 2.1 per cent higher than a year ago in the four weeks to 9 June, according to the retail researchers Kantar, which is down from the 2.4 per cent figure back in May.

Kantar found costs are falling in nearly a third of the categories, including household staples like toilet paper, butter and milk. Fraser McKevitt, the head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said that despite falling grocery inflation, “the cost of living crisis isn’t over – far from it”.

McKevitt added: “However, there are positive signs that many of us no longer feel the need to restrict our spending quite so much, with lower inflation helping to ease the pressure on people’s pockets.” McKevitt said: “The sixth wettest spring on record hasn’t just dampened our spirits leading into summer, it’s made a mark on the grocery sector too as it seems Britons are being put off from popping to the shops.

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“We’re not yet reaching for those typical summertime products and are making some purchases you wouldn’t expect in June.” The Kantar figures found Tesco cemented its position as Britain’s biggest supermarket, with a market share of 27.7 per cent, after sales rose 4.6 per cent in the three months to 9 June compared with a year earlier.

Asda was down by 4% and Co-op down by 2.3%. Aldi, the fourth-largest retailer by consumer spend, boosted sales by 0.8%. It now has a share of 10%. “Retailers will be competing with fans heading out of the house to watch the football as well as with each other,” said McKevitt. “Pubs especially could benefit from a boost – whether or not football comes home.

"Throughout the last tournament held in 2021, sales of food and non-alcoholic drinks in pubs soared by 60% compared with the average month that year.”