Shoppers turn to own-label lines to save moneyon January 31, 2023 at 9:03 am

Shoppers have been switching away from branded sauces, cereals and drinks, and opting for supermarkets’ own-brand equivalents to save money at the till, research suggests.

Sales of own-label products have risen 47% over the last year, according to market research firm Kantar.

The trend comes against a backdrop of sharply rising food prices.

In January, grocery prices were up a record 16.7% compared to a year ago, Kantar said.

Households are facing an increase of £788 to their annual grocery bills “if they don’t change their behaviour to cut costs”, said Kantar analyst Fraser McKevitt.

People have been turning to more own-label brands, “with sales of these lines growing consistently over the past nine months,” he said.

Many supermarkets have also been using price-matching with rivals and savings through loyalty schemes to encourage people to shop with them, Mr McKevitt added.

However, consumer spending on promotions, such as two-for-one, is at a record low, accounting for just 23% of spending in the four week period studied by the market research firm.

Kantar said supermarkets were focusing on keeping prices low on everyday goods instead.