Sales at UK supermarkets grew by 3.2 per cent in the four weeks ending 31 October 2026, according to new figures from NielsenIQ. Halloween, the school half-term break and grocery stock-ups helped lift spending, with growth reaching 4.1 per cent in the final week of the month.

The figures, released on 10 November 2026, show shoppers spending more as the industry heads into the crucial Christmas trading period. NielsenIQ expects total till growth of around 2.5 to 3 per cent over Christmas.

Which supermarkets grew fastest

Ocado and Marks & Spencer continued to outperform the wider market by a wide margin. Ocado sales rose 16.8 per cent over the latest 12 weeks, while M&S grew 10.9 per cent. Lidl also recorded strong growth of 6.7 per cent.

Tesco gained momentum, with sales up 2.6 per cent over the latest 12 weeks, ahead of Morrisons at 1.2 per cent. Sales at Sainsbury's and Asda were broadly flat over the same period.

The figures are based on NielsenIQ's Total Till measure, which tracks household purchasing through major supermarkets using a continuous panel of 30,000 households across Great Britain.

What it means for Christmas shopping

Mike Watkins, head of retailer and business insight at NielsenIQ, said retailers offering a compelling combination of value, convenience and differentiated products remain well placed to capture shopper spending as the industry moves into the final weeks before Christmas.

The stronger October follows a weaker September, when total till sales grew by only 1.4 per cent in the four weeks to 3 October as cautious shoppers held back spending. The October rebound suggests households loosened their purse strings for Halloween and half-term, even as grocery prices remain a pressure on family budgets.

Shoppers can expect supermarkets to compete hard on price and promotions in the run-up to Christmas, with the discounters and online specialists continuing to take sales from the traditional big four. Read the full release from NielsenIQ and the trade coverage from Grocery Trader.