As cost-conscious consumers seek ways to cut expenses, many are turning to scratch cooking, driving a 6.8% increase in value growth within the fresh food category.
New data from NielsenIQ (NIQ) reveals that Total Till sales at UK supermarkets grew by 5.3% in the four weeks ending 27 January 2025, up from 3.6% recorded in December.
With food inflation easing to 1.6%, down from 6.4% a year ago, unit growth at Grocery Multiples reached 0.9%. However, after the New Year spike, overall sales growth began to moderate.
Shoppers returned to stores in search of savings, leading to a 5.2% rise in in-store visits compared to last year. January is typically a time for consumers to reset their eating habits, and while NIQ data shows that 12% of British households purchased meat-free substitutes in the last four weeks—down slightly from 14% a year ago—healthy eating remains a priority.
Sales of freshly prepared fruit soared by 16%, while fresh vegetable accompaniments rose by 9%. The strongest performing category was meat, fish, and poultry, which grew by 9.1% as shoppers sought protein-rich meals for their New Year diets. Petcare (+8.3%) and dairy products (+6.8%) also saw significant growth.
NIQ data further highlights that half of UK households now cook from scratch daily or most days, with 16% doing so more often due to the rising cost of living. This shift has sparked increased demand for convenient cooking aids, with fresh gravy sales surging by 28%, fresh dough and pastry by 18%, fresh dips by 15%, and fresh cream and custard by 14%.
Among retailers, Ocado led the way with a 15.6% sales increase compared to the same period last year, followed by Marks & Spencer (+9.7%), where larger store formats and dine-at-home meal deals encouraged shoppers to fill their baskets. Lidl (+7.8%) and Aldi (+3.8%) also continued to gain ground, attracting new shoppers and increasing store visits.
Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight at NIQ, commented: “The lift to grocery sales in the last four weeks was helped by the timing of the New Year, with a proportion of sales coming from the new year festivities which was week ending 4th January (+10.0%). However, after this, weekly growth in January was slightly lower. Whilst overall Total Till sales growth was higher than December, the underlying trend is closer to +3%, which is the average growth in the most recent three weeks.”
Watkins added: “NIQ Homescan data shows that the cost of living is still firmly consumers’ number one concern at the start of 2025. Shoppers are looking to save money and eat healthier, leading to a growing trend in scratch cooking. This is one of the key behaviours driving strong unit growth (+2%) and value growth (+6.8%) in fresh food categories over the last four weeks.”
As Brits continue to prioritise both budget-friendly and nutritious meals, the trend of home cooking is set to shape grocery shopping habits in the months ahead.
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