SUPERMARKETS ARE SEEING much stronger growth in own-label products compared to branded goods as shoppers grapple with grocery price inflation.

Latest figures from Kantar reveal that grocery price inflation hit 16.5% in the 12 week period from 19 February to 14 May, when compared to the same period last year.

It’s a marginal decrease of 0.1% on the grocery price inflation in the 12 weeks to 16 April, which was running at 16.6% when compared to the same timeframe in the year previous.

Kantar’s figures are based on over 30,000 identical products which are compared year-on-year.

Emer Healy, a senior retail analyst at Kantar, said that while this slight drop in grocery price inflation is “without doubt welcome news for shoppers”, she added that “16.5% is the third fastest rate of grocery inflation we’ve seen since 2008”.

She also said that in response to this high level of grocery inflation, “we are seeing customers change their shopping patterns to off-set part of the increased cost”.

In the 12 weeks to 14 May, there was a 16.3% growth in own-label products, compared to 8.2% for branded products.

Own-label products also saw a 32.3% year-on-year growth and this month marked the first time that branded and own-label products were on equal terms when it comes to market share, at 47.3%.

‘Little and often’

Shoppers are also buying their groceries “little and often to help manage household budgets”.

The Kantar data in the 12 weeks to 14 May shows shopping visits are up 12%, which equates to an additional seven trips over this period.

Meanwhile, Dunnes holds the highest share of the market among all retailers at 23.1%, followed closely by Tesco which holds a 22.4% market share.

SuperValu comes next with a 20.6% hold of the market, Lidl hit a new record to hold 13.6% of the market, and Aldi holds a 12.1% share.

Kantar also found that Irish shoppers celebrated the May bank holidays by hitting the barbeques.

Shoppers spent an additional €6.6 million on beer and lager, €722,000 on chilled burgers and grills, and €516,000 on fresh sausages over the month of May.