Consumer card spending on groceries in Food & Drink Specialists, which includes convenience stores, as well as off-licences, butchers and bakeries, has grown 6.1%, while transaction growth has risen 7.4% from 23 January 2026 – 19 February 2026, versus the same period in 2025, according to Barclays.
This is in stark contrast to consumer card spending in supermarkets, which saw a meagre 0.1% rise and a 2% decline in transaction growth across the same time scale, revealed Barclays, which sees nearly 40% of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions.
The bank also unveiled polling results conducted by Opinium Research, which showed that over three quarters of shoppers (76%) are concerned about the impact of tensions in the Middle East on food prices, while four in five (82%) have raised fuel prices as a concern.
Energy bills (81%), supply chain disruption (70%) and inflation (78%) were also areas of concern, while three in five (59%) cited the potential negative impact on their household finances.
Overall, essential spend fell by -0.6 per cent, with 63% of shoppers seeking ways to cut the cost of their weekly shop. A third (33%) said they always avoided paying full price, and 24% reportedly got a “thrill” from finding a discount. Three in 10 (30%) happily switched brands to obtain better value, while 29% tried to maximise loyalty points obtained from travel miles and rewards programmes.
Barclay’s research also shone a spotlight on consumers’ attitudes to healthy eating, with 23% of consumers saying they’d cut their consumption of fast food and takeaways in an attempt to be healthier. One in three (33%) said health and fitness was a top spending priority for them this year, and 53% reported focusing more on their wellbeing.
This comes as one in five (19%) said they would like to see more nutritionally-dense meals and snacks made available, while a similar proportion (20%) have noticed more GLP-1-friendly options being advertised. However, nearly half (49%) said they were confused about the meaning of ‘GLP-1-friendly’ on food packaging, and 44% saw these smaller portioned products as a poor value for money.
Karen Johnson, Head of Retail at Barclays, said: “February’s data highlights the careful balancing act shoppers face in navigating rising costs amidst global uncertainty. While we’re seeing a continued appetite to spend on categories such as entertainment and wellness – obtaining value for money and savvy spending will remain a strong focus in the months ahead.”
