Brits are changing the way they shop as supermarket own-label ranges continue to rise.
However, at the same time, shoppers are still spending more on organic products. Two trends, both running hot.
Figures from the Soil Association show sales of organic food and drink jumped 7.3% in 2024. That pushed the market to £3.7 billion, almost twice the size it was ten years back. Shoppers are still opting for organic eggs, milk, and fresh vegetables, even while cutting costs elsewhere.
And then there’s own-label. Cheap pasta. Bread. Frozen chips. The basics. Data from The Grocer shows supermarket-brand goods grew by more than 3% in value last year.
So what’s going on? It’s a balancing act. Households are trading down on basics but still spending a bit extra on food they feel good about. McKinsey’s State of Grocery report states that retailers are leaning into this mix, building up their private brands while keeping organic lines on shelves to capture shoppers who won’t give them up.
However, that's not to say that expensive brands mean better quality. McKinsey also reports that 81% of shoppers believe that own-brand products are equal in quality to A-brands.
Supermarket trolleys are combining the cheaper items with the pricier ones: store-brand pasta in one bag, organic carrots in the other. Families are cutting costs but not completely sacrificing quality.
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