Rising UK Grocery Prices Fail To Dampen Wine Sales

Grocery price inflation has risen for the first time in more than a year, but this did not stop shoppers from splashing out on alcohol to celebrate a summer of sport, new figures suggest, Faarea Masud reported for BBC News.

This surge in wine sales occurred despite a 1.8% rise in grocery price inflation in the four weeks leading up to August.

Wine sales were up 35% on the day of the Olympic opening ceremony, and £10 million worth of beer was sold on the day of the Euro football final, according to market research firm Kantar.

This surge in sales occurred despite a 1.8% rise in grocery price inflation in the four weeks leading up to August, which was 0.2% higher than in the prior four weeks.

The rate of supermarket price increases had previously fallen for 17 consecutive months, according to Kantar.

"It is getting slightly easier to go shopping at the supermarket than it was this time last year," Fraser McKevitt, Kantar's head of retail and consumer insight, told the BBC. "We’ve moved well away from those days of double-digit grocery price inflation," he said.

But, he advised consumers to shop around to get the best value for money.

Kantar data suggested that products seeing the fastest price increases included vitamin and mineral supplements, fruit juices, and chocolate, while toilet tissues, bottled cola, and dog food experienced the slowest price increases.