As the cost of living continues to pressure UK households, more workers are relying on packed lunches, according to recent research.
Around 86 million more lunchboxes were brought to work last year, data from industry analysts revealed, reflecting the growing pressure on household spending and the lack of affordability in eating out.
Additionally, spending on alcohol dropped by over half, month-on-month, as ‘Dry January’ and other heath-based challenges gained greater popularity.
Veganuary, when people go vegan for January, is believed to have caused an 8% uptick in own-label plant-based ranges, researchers added.
Shoppers will be hopeful they can ease their budgeting efforts after grocery price inflation once again slowed in January, with Kantar Worldpanel reporting a slight decrease to 6.8% from December's 6.9%.
The British Retail Consortium and Nielsen IQ reported an even sharper deceleration, with shop inflation, which includes both groceries and non-food items, falling to its lowest rate since May 2022.
Falls in milk and tea prices helped the slowdown but BRC chief Helen Dickinson also pointed to the rise in sales, particularly for non-food items left over from Christmas.
Kantar’s head of retail and consumer insight Fraser McKevitt believes the latest inflation figures were a result of supermarkets battling to offer good value, rather than any geopolitical influences.
McKevitt said: “Retailers have taken their foot off the promotions gas slightly as we've come into the new year, and that's meant inflation hasn't fallen as quickly.
"Items bought on offer accounted for 27% of all grocery spending in January versus 32% last month.”