Shoppers buy less as prices increase

SHOPPERS are buying 4% fewer groceries in a bid to cut back as they are faced with rising prices.

Consumers are also continuing to trade down to cheaper items with own brand products now accounting for 35% of grocery spend, compared with 33.5% last year.

Figures from Kantar Worldpanel in Ireland for the 12 weeks ending March 20 showed, however, that the grocery market is still growing in Ireland. Market growth dipped last month to 0.8% compared with 1.6% in February.