Ice cream and cider were the biggest casualties last month

Categories that maintained above CPI inflation year on year growth in May were typical comfort foods – cakes, biscuits and chocolate. Spirits and wine were the preferred choices of those c-store shoppers in need of something stronger.

Notably, the surge in Vape product sales continued at 20% vs May 2018, although average sales per store remain low and only account for 1.6% of factory-made cigarettes (FMC) turnover.

Ice cream declined by 34% year on year followed by the 2nd biggest loser category – cider – which declined by 11%. Beer, bread and household product sales under-performed too.