Spaniards spent 16.7 percent more in their shopping basket in April

Total consumer goods sales in Spain’s shopping baskets rose 16.7% in April, compared to the same period last year, a figure that exceeds historical series figures since the beginning of the inflationary period, according to the latest data released by NielsenIQ.

In particular, this significant increase is mainly motivated a significant recovery in demand, recording 7% morewhen in March a drop of 5.3 percent was recorded, while the average price was maintained and thus its growth amounted to 9.1 percent compared to the growth of 15.2 percent last month of March.

As for the categories, Food is still the chapter that includes the most payments for Spaniards, with an increase in sales in the value of 17.7% and 10.3% in the average price. Beverages recorded an increase in consumption of 16.5% and 7.2% in price, while the drugstore and perfumery category recorded sales growth of 13.3% in value and 8% in price.

The report highlights that three categories saw significant growth in demand, with volume sales increasing by 6.7% for food, 8.7% for drinks and 4.9% for drugstores and perfumeries, mainly motivated by high temperatures and including data for Easter , but also comparing it to April 2022, when there were still stocks in homes, after the collection carried out a month earlier due to the outbreak of war.

The consultant specified that this early summer, which happened in April and the coincidence with the Easter holidays, led to a sharp increase in demand for products that are considered more typical for this season, with a significant increase in volume sales.

In this way, insecticides increased demand by 58.6%, sun protection by 49.1%, ice cream by 45.5%, horchata by 43.4% or bottled water by 14%.

Among the categories that recorded a drop in demand, the most notable was parapharmacy with high consumption, with a drop of 43.6 percent, which still shows the end of the use of masks.

On the other hand, consumption outside the home, motivated by the holidays and good weather, means that other categories record a drop in volume, such as infusions, with 7.1% less; sparkling wines, with a 5.5 percent drop in demand, or spirits with a 5 percent drop.

The most expensive sugar

Among the products that recorded the largest price increase compared to the previous year are sugar and sweeteners, with 36.8% more, while consumer parapharmacy, which already records a significantly lower volume, suffers a price increase of 36.8%; baby food that goes up 23.3% or pasteurized white cheeses that cost 23.1% more.

On the opposite side, there are categories with a drop in average price, especially in drugstores and perfumeries, so facial treatments cost 6.6% less than a year ago, make-up drops in price by 3.8% or washing accessories by 2.4 percent.

On the food side, the other frozen food division, which includes ice among other products, saw a 23.2 percent increase in demand – due to the early summer effect – despite its price falling by 2.7 percent.

As for pasta, they remained unchanged, with a price drop of 0.1%, while oil, the price of which remained -0.3% lower-, but still recorded a significant growth of 31.9% on the purchased quantity.

The white brand continues to grow

On the other hand, as of the closing date of the first four-month period and in relation to the difference between brands, the value of sales of retail brands increased by 23.2%, compared to the growth of 12% for manufacturer brands, while volume sales increased by 23.2 %. it increased by 11.7% for the former and 1.9% for the latter.

“The unusually high temperatures that were recorded in the month of April caused the behavior of this month to be characterized by earlier purchases that are traditionally considered more summer, which caused an increase in the demand that was recorded in the previous months. negative quantities,” emphasized the general director of NIQ for Southern Europe, Patricia Daimiel.

Daimiel said prices are starting to be containeds. “We see that the prices are already starting to be restrained, that despite the continuation of the upward trend compared to the year before, they are slowing down by 6.1 points compared to the growth recorded in March”, he pointed out.

“Anyway, Spanish consumers continue to aim for savingsAmong the measures adopted are comparing prices more carefully, looking for options with the best promotions and continuing to be cautious when buying to avoid waste,” he explained.