Recent data from NielsenIQ (NIQ) indicates a projected spend of £5.7 billion during the week ending 20 December 2025, solidifying it as the largest shopping week of the year.
Notably, 40% of UK households intend to utilize accumulated loyalty points and vouchers, while 23% plan to seek out promotions to optimize savings over the Christmas period.
Supporting this, Worldpanel has reported that promotional items significantly boosted supermarket sales in November amid ongoing cost-of-living challenges impacting consumers.
NIQ also released data showing Total Till sales at UK supermarkets rose by 3.3% for the four weeks ending 29 November 2025.
Despite this uptick, the report highlights that shoppers are focusing on savings for everyday necessities, allowing them to allocate funds toward treats and indulgences during Christmas.
Moreover, promotional sales represented 25% of FMCG sales over the past month, with in-store visits increasing by 4.5% as consumers pursued deals.
NIQ’s data further reveals that 17% of own label sales during this period were purchased on promotion, up from 16% the previous year, while promotional sales for branded products remained steady at 33%.
In terms of category performance, fresh foods exhibited the highest growth at 5.3%, while ambient foods saw a 2.6% increase. Seasonal favorites such as chestnuts (+28%), almonds (+11%), and sundried tomatoes (+19%) reflected a consumer trend toward premium ingredients to enhance festive meals.
Additionally, shoppers are preparing for Christmas morning, with frozen food sales increasing by 2.1%. Notably, frozen berries (+15%) and frozen croissants (+6%) have gained traction as households prioritize longer shelf life and value to minimize waste.
Sweet treats also remain in demand, with confectionery, snacks, and soft drink sales rising by 4.5%. Conversely, sales of beer, wine, and spirits (BWS) experienced a decline of 1%.
Among retailers, Ocado (+14%) leads in growth, while Lidl (+9.8%) and Marks & Spencer (+9.2%) also maintain strong momentum among supermarkets.
Sainsbury’s (+5.2%), Waitrose (+4.8%), and Tesco (+4.5%) further increased their market share.
Mike Watkins, head of retailer and business insight at NielsenIQ, stated: “Shoppers are looking for an affordable Christmas this year and many have been holding back their spend with unit growths across the total store down -0.8%. Instead, they are spending wisely and making focused savings on the weekly shop to be able to buy some treats and indulgences for the family in December.”
“The good news is that sales will now accelerate and over the four weeks to 27 December, we expect almost £20 billion will be spent and if so, this would be a growth of around 2.8% on last year.”
“Retailers are showcasing their private labels strongly this year and are supporting their Christmas ranges with attractive offers and promotions. Premium private label is currently the fastest growing segment with an 8% growth in value sales and unit growth of 4%, and looks set to gain further category share this Christmas.”