Grocery market data released by Worldpanel by Numerator for the four weeks ending 14th June show sales of fresh beef burgers were up by 40% as the May heatwave drove demand for summer staples.
According to the latest figures from WorldPanel by Numerator, take home sales at the grocers increased by 2.4% in the four weeks to 14th June 2026. Like-for-like inflation stood at 3.0%, which it said was easing concerns about further price rises filtering through to supermarkets as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.
May heatwave boosted sales of barbecue staples
Strong demand over the period for “summer staples” was driven by a ten-day heatwave, with the UK’s hottest ever May day recorded. Households wheeled out their barbecues looking to take advantage of the warm weather, leading to a 13% increase in sales of fresh prepared salads and chilled dips and a 40% sales boost for fresh beef burgers.
There’s something very British about the way a heatwave changes the weekly shop, and shoppers didn’t need much encouragement to fire up the grill.”
Fraser McKevitt, Worldpanel by Numerator
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “There’s something very British about the way a heatwave changes the weekly shop, and shoppers didn’t need much encouragement to fire up the grill and turn to al fresco dining this time around.
“Barbecue staples performing well and shoppers turning to healthier options are a common summer trend, and we can expect to see this continue over the rest of June and into July, with the warm weather forecast to continue.”
Worldpanel said its data shows that spending per person on food nearly doubles when households are barbecuing, with spend per head standing at close to £5.00 for barbecue meals, compared with just over £2.50 for meals prepared inside (Worldpanel usage panel, 12 w/e 10 August 2025).
Grocery spending on promotions continues to grow
With the FIFA Men’s World Cup underway, June is seeing the highest promotional activity for five years, with snacks, crisps and pizza being a hotspot for deals. Promotions are playing a broader role across the wider market, according to Worldpanel data. The share of grocery spending on promotion rose year on year for the 39th consecutive month, with 30.4% of all sales now on some form of deal.
Online grocery continues to grow ahead of the total market and Ocado was once again the fastest growing grocer over the 12-week period to 14th June, with sales up by 13.5% compared with the same time a year ago.
Lidl increased its market share by 8.7% in the 12 weeks to 14th June, attracting more than half a million additional shoppers through the tills in comparison to the same period in 2025. Meanwhile, Co-op returned to market share growth, Increasing share from 5.2% last year to 5.3% this year, as sales grew by 32.7%.
Sainsbury’s also grew ahead of the market, with spending up by 2.0% over the period, adding 0.1% to its market share, which now stands at 15.3%.
Tesco holds 28.0% market share, with sales growth of 1.2%. Morrisons holds 8.4% share, Asda 11.5% and Aldi 10.7%. Sales at Waitrose grew by 1.7% and 2.2% at Iceland. Both retailers maintained the same market share, at 4.5% and 2.2%, respectively.
McKevitt added: “Nearly a third of all grocery spending is now on promotion, and that upward streak shows no sign of breaking. Combined with strong online growth, it points to shoppers who know what they want and are increasingly confident about where and how to find the best deal. In short, retailers are having to compete hard for that summer shop.”
