London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Supermarket boss says Britons buying more frozen food as inflation worsens

Supermarket boss says Britons buying more frozen food as inflation worsens

Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts said shoppers were visiting stores more often but buying less on each trip as after UK’s inflation reached new highs.

Cash-strapped Britons are buying more cheap frozen food to help cut waste and cope with “unprecedented” soaring living costs, the boss of supermarket group Sainsbury’s said.

Chief Executive Simon Roberts said shoppers were “watching every penny and every pound”, visiting stores more often but buying less on each trip, and using technology to monitor their spending to avoid “till shock” at the checkout.

“In many ways there is no playbook for what we’re dealing with at the moment, these are unprecedented circumstances,” said Roberts, a 30-year veteran of the UK retail sector who has run Britain’s second-biggest supermarket since 2020.

Britain’s cost-of-living crisis is worsening, with pessimism among households hitting record levels.

Wages are struggling to keep pace with inflation that reached an over 40-year high of 9.1 per cent in May and is heading for double digits. Food inflation is predicted to hit 15 per cent this summer and 20 per cent early next year, according to some forecasts.

“There is some evidence of customers shopping [more] to own brand and also areas like frozen are increasing,” Roberts said, on a tour of a Sainsbury’s store in Richmond, south west London. “People are looking at making sure that they don’t incur any waste.”

He said people were buying “for now” only, and making sure they do not buy products they may not use.

Market researcher NielsenIQ said on Tuesday UK sales of frozen poultry jumped 12 per cent year-on-year in the four weeks to June 18.

Frozen food became popular in Britain in the 1970s and with prices often lower than fresh goods, it can return to fashion in times of economic hardship.

Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts.


Roberts said Sainsbury’s had recently revamped its frozen category.

Market leader Tesco said earlier this month that Britons were trading down to cheaper products.

Sainsbury’s – like Tesco, No 3 Asda and No 4 Morrisons – has learned valuable lessons from the 2008 financial crisis when higher prices enabled German-owned discounters Aldi and Lidl to eat into their market share.

“The lessons learned are – you’ve got to be absolutely on it on value,” said Roberts.

“When customers are concerned and anxious about conditions out there they’ve got to be confident in your availability, in your service, in your delivery and you’ve got to make sure that you innovate when you need to,” he said.

“We’ve moved at speed to respond on all those things.”

Britons protest against the increasing cost of living in the country.


Roberts said the public’s perception of Sainsbury’s value had improved after it matched the prices of 250, mainly fresh, items to those at Aldi, while another scheme covering 1,800, mainly branded, products holds prices for at least eight weeks. Its Nectar Prices scheme also provides personalised offers.

“The fundamental here is that we have brought prices down on the products customers buy most of,” he said.

Sainsbury’s, which has also revived its “Feed Your Family for a Fiver” campaign that was first launched in 2008, says it is winning market share in terms of volume sold and that its overall prices are rising 1-2 per cent less than the broader market.

To stay competitive, Sainsbury’s is spending 500 million pounds over the two years to March 2023 to keep a lid on prices, but that comes at a cost.

In April, it joined Tesco in warning of a drop in profit this year and its shares are down 23 per cent so far in 2022.

Its guidance takes account of the major hike in energy bills that is due to arrive in October.

“Customers are going to be watching even more acutely how much they can afford to spend in the autumn and so we’ve got to be prepared for that,” said Roberts.

He urged the government to do more to help, noting Sainsbury’s pays almost as much tax on its properties as it makes in operating profit.

“If business rate reform was accelerated, that would take [out] further cost that we could reinvest in prices,” he said.

Sainsbury’s updates on first quarter trading next Tuesday.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×