Lidl has leapfrogged upmarket supermarket Waitrose in the UK’s competitive food retail market, industry data showed yesterday, a sign that cash-strapped UK shoppers are still having to count their pennies.

SuperValu has gained an edge over its supermarket rivals just as the grocery market has slipped into deflation for the first time in two years.

If you’re doing your grocery shopping on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, then you are more likely to be planning a healthier meal, but you are still more likely to spend more later in the week.

Dunnes Stores ‘round euro’ pricing promotions helped it to marginally increase its grocery sales in the three months to the end of last month — the only one of the major multiples to do so.

Pre-tax profits at theUK business of Irish-owned retail giant Dunnes Stores last year more than halved to £12.3m (€15.4m), figures show.