Record grocery sales as Britons stockpiled ahead of coronavirus lockdown

By James Davey

 

FILE PHOTO: Tesco supermarket in Newcastle-under-Lyme hand out flowers to NHS workers as they begin their shopping as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues. Newcastle-under-Lyme, Britain March 22, 2020 REUTERS/Carl Recine

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Grocery sales leapt more than a fifth to a record 10.8 billion pounds in the four weeks to March 22, as Britons stocked up on everything from pasta to pet food ahead of a countrywide lockdown to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Market researchers Kantar said on Tuesday the average household spent an extra 62.92 pounds ($77.36) over the four weeks, equivalent to adding five days worth of groceries.

 

“That’s even higher than levels seen at Christmas, the busiest time of year under normal circumstances,” said Fraser McKevitt, Kantar’s head of retail and consumer insight.

 

Sales jumped 20.6% year-on-year, while online grocery spending was up 13%. Prime Minister Boris Johnson put Britain into coronavirus lockdown on March 23.

 

Rival researcher Nielsen found Britons made over 79 million extra grocery shopping trips in the four week period.

 

Its data showed that in the last week of February and the first week of March, shoppers focused on stockpiling necessities, such as medicines, cleaning supplies, pet care items and ambient groceries, such as pasta and rice. This continued through to the third week, with a consistent rise in sales of these “pandemic pantry” items.

 

In the fourth week, many shoppers started to fill their freezers too, with sales of frozen food leaping 84% on the same period last year.

 

This was also the week in which the government announced the closure of pubs and restaurants, resulting in a 67% surge in beer, wine and spirits sales.

 

DROP OFF

 

Kantar’s McKevitt expects restrictions on movement and relatively full grocery cupboards will mean the frequency of shopping trips will drop off over the coming weeks.

 

He reckons regular trips to smaller local stores are likely to continue, as people avoid travelling and social distancing queues at larger stores with one-in-one-out policies in place.

 

“While much-reported panic buying has been concentrated to a relatively low number of individuals so far, we anticipate that this too will subside as consumers gain confidence in the retailers’ abilities to maintain grocery supplies,” McKevitt added.

 

Over the 12 weeks to March 22, Sainsbury’s (SBRY.L), Britain’s No. 2 supermarket group was the fastest growing of the traditional big four players, with growth of 7.4%, followed by market leader Tesco (TSCO.L) at 5.5%, Walmart (WMT.N) owned Asda at 4.9% and Morrisons (MRW.L) at 4.6%,” Kantar said.

 

Iceland benefited from shoppers stocking up on frozen items, with sales up by 11.7%.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-31

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5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Grocery sales leapt more than a fifth to a record 10.8 billion pounds in the four weeks to March 22

No surprise that given how the hordes have descended like locust to clear the shelves of everything .. 

I mean even Marmite is flying out the door .. who'd have thought that .. 

 

28 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

No surprise that given how the hordes have descended like locust to clear the shelves of everything .. 

I mean even Marmite is flying out the door .. who'd have thought that .. 

 

Thats more than ive got in my super market.  

Even the signs to say what was there have gone. 

This is my other supermarket

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by Davo369

Selfishness and a narcissistic society where people care about themselves only. No community collaboration and a culture of me, me me. Thankfully leaving 20 years I could see the signs along with many other issues.

 

Where you use to borrow a bowl of sugar or a few eggs was the norm. The only thing you get from most people is abuse.

Is Marmite, a bit like Vegemite?

2 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Is Marmite, a bit like Vegemite?

think of Sinead O'Connor, and her song:

 

'Nothing Compares with you' 

 

 

 

with marmite, you can splooch tubs onto your bread as it doesn't have any 'kick';

but with the big V - it tastes even better when 'the initiated' know that 'less is better'

 

Vegemite can be like Mekhong...

 - a smallest dribble of it on the tongue, and it wafts its own way up'n'over the tastebuds at the back (yummy)

 - up end a full glass of it, and your legs get taken away, from the knees, as it jumps up and grabs you

12 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Is Marmite, a bit like Vegemite?

A bit but better same as Promite and other Aussie copies , ok but not the real thing.

Yup, one major reason for never returning to the UK - ignorant, stupid selfish idiots trashing millions of tons of food.

The media always said the grocery store shelves would be empty after Brexit, but I guess leaving the EU wasn't the actual cause

4 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Selfishness and a narcissistic society where people care about themselves only. No community collaboration and a culture of me, me me

You didn't see the news about the 700,000 NHS volunteers  or the 200,000  Ex/retired  NHS staff  that have offered to go back to work ?

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-nhs-army-applications-royal-voluntary-service-a4400821.html

 

11 minutes ago, johng said:

You didn't see the news about the 700,000 NHS volunteers  or the 200,000  Ex/retired  NHS staff  that have offered to go back to work ?

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-nhs-army-applications-royal-voluntary-service-a4400821.html

 

Yes I did see that but out of the other 60 plus million that are panic buying and being selfish, causing grieve and hassle for the rest of the people it does need addressing.

 

The fact that NHS workers are getting targeted by idiots shows what a warped society we have.

 

Thanks for trying to sugar coat it though.

In fairness, when the government advises you to make as few journeys as necessary then I don't think buying a little extra is unreasonable. It means you don't have to go back out for a couple of extra days thereby reducing the risk of infecting yourself or others. It's jumped a little over 20% so that's the equivalent of someone who normally spends 40 quid spending 50 quid. 

 

Obviously buying 40 packs of toilet roll is ridiculous but there are always a few idiots.

 

Fortunately the warehouses are all stocked to absolute maximum capacity due to No Deal Brexit planning (or so we were told).

2 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

he other 60 plus million that are panic buying and being selfish,

When they keep saying "don't panic don't panic"  but you must stay indoors and not goto work/put your whole life on hold to stop a "deadly" virus .. its understandable that  people panic.

 

However those idiots targetting NHS workers and even "bin men" ( dustmen) are very sick individuals and need a good 

"kick up the bum"  there are always some idiots unfortunately. ☹️

31 minutes ago, ben2talk said:

trashing millions of tons of food.

So much gets wasted all the time,  I think its about 1/3 even in "normal times"  !!!!  and yet there are still people starving on the streets.

8 minutes ago, johng said:

When they keep saying "don't panic don't panic"  but you must stay indoors and not goto work/put your whole life on hold to stop a "deadly" virus .. its understandable that  people panic.

 

However those idiots targetting NHS workers and even "bin men" ( dustmen) are very sick individuals and need a good 

"kick up the bum"  there are always some idiots unfortunately. ☹️

Stocking up to avoid going to one of the highest risk areas of supermarkets in not panic buying but bloody common sense. Here in NZ the idiot supermarket owners have only just started sanitising trolley handles in the last day or so, in spite of us having been in lockdown for a week.  

Edited April 1, 20206 yr by Roadman

My alcohol purchasing leapt 300% last week (4 bottles Hong Thong).

My rice purchasing increased 4,400% as well (45Kg sack).

 

20% is nothing.

26 minutes ago, johng said:

When they keep saying "don't panic don't panic"  but you must stay indoors and not goto work/put your whole life on hold to stop a "deadly" virus .. its understandable that  people panic.

 

However those idiots targetting NHS workers and even "bin men" ( dustmen) are very sick individuals and need a good 

"kick up the bum"  there are always some idiots unfortunately. ☹️

I have been in China since the outbreak in early January. You had to and still do wear masks. Get your temperature taken when you enter every building.

 

Nothing except food shops were closed for 2 months at least. Some people in the UK need more than a 'kick up the bum' but I get your point.

 

I believe that it has not finished in the UK. More restrictions could possibly be needed.

Off topic comments have been removed. This topic has nothing at all to do with Brexit.

after the initial panic buying things have calmed down and most items are on the shelves at supermarkets  ..

meanwhile in italy social unrest is building up

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/01/singing-stops-italy-fear-social-unrest-mount-coronavirus-lockdown

 

A few days into Italy’s lockdown, people across the country sang and played music from their balconies as they came together to say “Everything will be alright” (Andrà tutto bene). Three weeks on, the singing has stopped and social unrest is mounting as a significant part of the population, especially in the poorer south, realise that everything is not all right.

“They are no longer singing or dancing on the balconies,” said Salvatore Melluso, a priest at Caritas Diocesana di Napoli, a church-run charity in Naples. “Now people are more afraid – not so much of the virus, but of poverty. Many are out of work and hungry. There are now long queues at food banks.”

9 hours ago, tifino said:

think of Sinead O'Connor, and her song:

 

'Nothing Compares with you' 

 

 

 

with marmite, you can splooch tubs onto your bread as it doesn't have any 'kick';

but with the big V - it tastes even better when 'the initiated' know that 'less is better'

 

Vegemite can be like Mekhong...

 - a smallest dribble of it on the tongue, and it wafts its own way up'n'over the tastebuds at the back (yummy)

 - up end a full glass of it, and your legs get taken away, from the knees, as it jumps up and grabs you

All very nice the blah blah, BUT I can't buy either ever!  My life is a continual misery.