Grocery sales slowed to a 14.4% increase year on year during the 12 weeks to August 9, while sales in the last four weeks were worth £9.7bn, marking the lowest month since February, according to the latest statistics from market monitor Kantar. 

In the 12-week period sales topped £30bn across all the major grocers and convenience store chains as well as discounters and independent retailers, down from a high of in excess of £31.6bn for the 12 weeks to July 12. 

While sales figures were still consistently higher than pre-pandemic levels, Kantar said that as the UK continues to relax lockdown measures, customers’ shopping habits are “easing back to normality”.