Kantar grocery market share shows no sign of Brexit stockpiling

Ready for Brexit is independent and objective. It aims to help businesses and organisations manage the challenges and opportunities that Brexit brings.
See member benefits 〉

Grocery market share figures published by research, data and insight firm Kantar show that consumers are spending more on preparing for Halloween than Brexit day. Anna Tobin reports

Kantar’s latest grocery market share figures, published today, show year-on-year supermarket sales grew by 1.3% during the past 12 weeks. The research did not see any evidence of consumers stockpiling in preparation for Brexit Day, however. In contrast, £1.5 million, has been spent on pumpkins in the past 12 weeks, with sales 29% higher than at this point before Halloween last year.

Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar wrote: “Well-documented concerns about the availability of popular products in the event of a no-deal Brexit have not yet translated into a consistent increase in purchasing. Sales of dry pasta and healthcare products over the past four weeks were 9% and 7% higher than the same time last year, but those of canned products fell by 2% and frozen food by 1%. While a quarter of British consumers say they are considering stockpiling, it seems they are waiting to see how the next few weeks play out and we expect if they take any action it will be closer to the deadline, if a chaotic trading situation looks increasingly likely.”