UK consumers are returning to stores, perhaps in an effort to gain more control of spending and ‘try before they buy’, according to Barclaycard.

The company’s figures show that in-store shopping grew faster than online in July with the value and volume of face-to-face transactions up 8.5 per cent and 12.9 per cent year-on-year respectively. By comparison, online shopping saw a smaller 6.6 per cent rise in the amount spent, and a -3.3 per cent decline in the total number of transactions.

Barclaycard said that Brits are also using smaller basket sizes at supermarkets to keep better track of their budget throughout the month.

Nearly two fifths - 37 per cent - are purchasing certain items on a need-to-buy basis to save money and avoid waste, resulting in an emerging trend for smaller baskets, and more frequent trips to the supermarket to restock when items run out.

The average value of a supermarket transaction has dropped from £23.67 in January 2021 to £19.33 in July 2022, while the average number of monthly supermarket purchases per person increased from 8.70 to 11.91 over the same period.

According to the figures, nearly nine in 10 – 89 per cent – of Brits are seeing increases in the prices of everyday items at the supermarket, with the majority noticing that butter (53 per cent), milk (51 per cent) and meat (47 per cent) are more expensive than in June.

45 per cent of shoppers report looking for ways to get more value from, or to reduce the cost of their weekly shop. Over half (52 per cent) of this group are paying closer attention to the prices of items they buy regularly, and the same proportion (52 per cent) are cutting down on luxuries or one-off treats for themselves. In addition, almost half (47 per cent) have been opting for budget or own-brand goods over branded items.

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