Growth across Britain's supermarkets slowed over the summer, according to closely watched industry data, in a sign that households may be tightening their belts again as the cost of the weekly shop creeps higher.
Figures from Worldpanel, analysed by investment bank Jefferies, showed overall grocery sales rose 2% in the four weeks to 6 September, down from 2.5% in the previous period.
Although food inflation ticked up slightly to 2.3%, that was more than cancelled out by a fall in the volume and mix of goods shoppers put in their trolleys, suggesting people are buying a little less, or trading down, even as prices edge up.
The country's four biggest chains, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons, grew a more modest 1.1% between them.
Tesco, the market leader, posted growth of 1.3%. Its share of the market was still slipping, but at a slower rate than in recent months, a trend Jefferies expects to reverse as the retailer laps weaker comparisons from a year ago. Sainsbury's cooled to 1.5% after a stronger spell, while Morrisons nudged up
to 2.3%. Asda remained the clear straggler, with sales down 0.6% despite facing an easier benchmark.
The German discounters, long a thorn in the side of the established players, also lost a little of their fizz. Aldi and Lidl grew 3.3% together, down from 4.3%, though the two diverged sharply: Lidl surged 7.2% while Aldi was virtually flat at 0.2%.
At the upmarket end, Marks & Spencer continued to defy the wider gloom, its food business growing a punchy 13.8%. The performance offered a bright spot for the retailer against a more lacklustre showing from its clothing arm. Waitrose managed 2.2%.
The numbers offer an early read on how the grocers are faring as the crucial autumn and Christmas trading season approaches, with the discounters and premium grocers once again pulling away from the middle of the pack.
