UK supermarkets are seeing a fall in the sales of non-food items compared to last year as Christmas approaches.
Sales of general merchandise slipped by 7% in the four weeks to 4 December, researcher NIQ unveiled on Tuesday.
Given sales of many food items increased over the period, the data reflects a wider trend of consumers turning to the likes of cheaper confectionery to give as gifts this Christmas.
Confectionery sales across UK supermarkets indeed increased by 10.2% in the month to December, NIQ said, with Cadbury and Nestle having noted on Monday that cost pressures had driven many to buy chocolate as gifts, rather than the likes of toys.
Overall, supermarket sales growth slowed in the run up to December, coming in at 6.8% compared to 8.7% a month earlier.
The number of items being sold also fell, with sales on a volume basis slipping 0.9% across the board.