UK grocery inflation rises to 2.6%, says Kantar

LONDON (Reuters) – British customers confronted elevated stress on their budgets final month after grocery value inflation edged greater, business information confirmed on Tuesday.

Market researcher Kantar stated annual grocery value inflation was 2.6% within the 4 weeks to Dec. 1, having been 2.3% within the earlier four-week interval.

Costs are rising quickest in merchandise comparable to toothbrushes, chilled smoothies & juices, and fragrances and falling quickest in gadgets together with family paper merchandise, pet food and ambient savoury meals, Kantar stated.

Amongst particular person supermarkets, Britain’s greatest, Tesco (OTC:TSCDY), noticed gross sales within the 12 weeks to Dec. 1 rise 5.2%. It had a market share of 28.1%, its highest since December 2017.

UK supermarkets have warned that tax rises within the new Labour authorities’s first funds in October, along with one other rise within the nationwide minimal wage, will probably be inflationary.

Official information printed final month confirmed total UK inflation jumped to 2.3% in October. Knowledge for November will probably be printed Dec. 18.