Grocery sales up, but sterling threat looms

The Irish grocery market has continued its solid growth in recent weeks, but the lure of potentially cheaper goods in the North — as sterling continues to weaken — is being viewed as a real threat.

New figures from consumer insights agency Kantar Worldpanel – for the 12 weeks to June 19 – show grocery market sales in the Republic grew by 2.5%, year-on-year, with all major players except Tesco Ireland noting a boost at the tills.

However, Kantar’s insight director Georgieann Harrington said “a level of uncertainty” has been cast over the sector since the recent Brexit vote, with cross-border shopping “potentially” set to increase.