Supermarket prices 2% more expensive than a year ago as grocery inflation rises, figures show

Grocery price inflation rose in September, with average supermarket prices now 2% more expensive than a year ago, figures show.

Prices are rising fastest in markets such as chilled soft drinks, chocolate confectionery and skin care, according to data from analysts Kantar.

The unusually wet weather in September saw hot chocolate sales surge by 28%, soup by 10% and home baking by 7%, while Halloween pumpkin sales nearly doubled on last September, at just under £1m over the last four weeks.

It comes after the rate slowed to 1.7% in August.

Kantar’s Fraser McKevitt said: “In the fiercely competitive retail sector, the battle for value is on.

“Supermarkets are doing what they can to keep costs down for consumers and thanks to their efforts the prices in some categories are falling.”

The report also found that Tesco achieved its biggest market share since December 2017. The supermarket chain now takes up 28% of the market, up from 27.4% a year ago.

The market share of Sainsbury’s increased by 0.4 percentage points to 15.2%.

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