The days of the weekly shop are gone as consumers choose multiple trips and multiple supermarket brands
LONDON, April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- UK workers now need to work around 68 minutes to afford a typical grocery basket, according to new analysis of food affordability in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of two minutes compared to the previous quarter.
The finding comes from Beyond Spend: Q1 2026, a new cross-sector report from Beyond: Putting Data To Work. Built on real-time behavioural data rather than opinion or stated intent, it provides one of the most indicative views available of how customers are actually spending. At its core is the Work-to-Consume (WTC) Index, which measures affordability in minutes of work rather than pounds.
This quarter the report focuses on the grocery sector. Using an average grocery basket of £22.30 and UK median hourly earnings of £19.67, the analysis suggests households are adapting rather than pulling back on spending. Shoppers are becoming more deliberate in how they allocate spend across different missions, separating the main weekly shop, value-led stock-ups, convenience top-ups and occasional treat purchases. Rather than relying on a single retailer, households are increasingly assigning specific roles to different supermarkets depending on the task at hand.
Comments Paul Alexander, CEO of Beyond: Putting Data To Work:
"This shift is reflected in wider data. Around 80% of UK shoppers now use two or more supermarkets, with many visiting three in a typical period. As a result, the traditional "one big weekly shop" is being replaced by a series of smaller, mission-led trips."
One of the most striking findings in the report is the average lunchtime grocery purchase of £9.90, despite lunchtime buyers being among the most price-pressured shoppers. These shoppers make around 40 grocery trips per quarter, making them one of the most frequent segments in the market. The report suggests convenience and time pressure are outweighing price sensitivity for this group.
Adds Paul Alexander:
"This tells us something important: when time is scarce, effort saved often matters more than money saved."
Regional differences in grocery affordability
The analysis also highlights sharp regional differences in the time required to afford groceries, reflecting variations in both wages and basket composition.
Minutes of work to buy a grocery basket by region (Q1 2026)
1 Northern Ireland
Basket value = £28.90
Minutes of work = 88.2 mins
2 West Midlands
Basket value = £23.00
Minutes of work = 70.2
3 Yorkshire & Humber
Basket value: £23.00
Minutes of work = 70.2
4 Wales
Basket value = £22.90
Minutes of work = 69.9
5 East of England
Basket value = £22.60
Minutes of work = 69.0
6 East Midlands
Basket value = £22.6
Minutes of work = 69.0
7 South West
Basket value = £22.50
Minutes of work = 68.6
8 Scotland
Basket value = £22.40
Minutes of work = 68.3
9 South East
Basket value = £22.40
Minutes of work = 68.3
10 North East
Basket value = £22.00
Minutes of work = 67.1
11 North West
Basket value = £21.70
Minutes of work = 66.2
12 Greater London
Basket value = £17.20
Minutes of work = 52.5
The regional data highlights how grocery affordability is shaped as much by income as by price. While basket values remain relatively consistent across most regions, the time required to afford them varies significantly, reflecting differences in local earnings. Regions such as the West Midlands and Yorkshire & the Humber now require over 70 minutes of work for a typical basket, compared to just over 50 minutes in London, where higher wages offset higher living costs. Northern Ireland stands out as the most extreme example of this dynamic, with the highest basket value in the UK and over 88 minutes of work required. This reflects a more consolidated shopping pattern, where households make fewer, larger trips, increasing both the financial and psychological weight of each shop. Overall, the data reinforces that affordability pressure is unevenly distributed — and that for many households, the real challenge is not what groceries cost, but how long it takes to pay for them.
Concludes Paul Alexander:
"Retailers that reduce friction through predictable pricing, clear value and reliable availability are better positioned to retain shoppers even when they are not the cheapest option. With food prices set to soar due to the Iran Crisis which will impact supply chain and energy costs, this will become increasingly important in 2026."
Notes to editors
Beyond Spend: Q1 2026 is a quarterly consumer insight report from Beyond: Putting Data To Work analysing grocery growth, loyalty, affordability and shopper behaviour.
The Q1 2026 Work-to-Consume Index converts grocery basket values into minutes of work using median hourly earnings.
Earnings data is sourced from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) published by the Office for National Statistics.
Grocery behaviour and basket values are derived from anonymised transaction-level data provided by Fable Data.
About Beyond: Putting Data To Work
Beyond: Putting Data To Work helps organisations turn complex data into better decisions that drive measurable commercial outcomes. Combining expertise in data strategy, engineering, analytics and AI, it focuses on closing the gap between insight and action — ensuring that data is not just analysed, but actively used to improve performance. Its approach centres on practical delivery inside real operating environments, helping organisations align data, technology and decision-making to unlock value quickly and at scale.
About Fable Data
Fable Data operates a multi‑stack technology platform that anonymises and aggregates consumer spending data from multiple banks and credit‑card providers across the UK and Europe. We build large‑scale, predictive data products that provide a real‑time view of in‑store and ecommerce transactions across all merchants and sectors. The data enables deep‑dive analysis of spend trends at the individual‑brand level, as well as broader sector and macroeconomic research.
Media Contact
Louisa Osmond, Beyond: Putting Data To Work, 44 7977401235, [email protected], www.puttingdatatowork.com
SOURCE Beyond: Putting Data To Work
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