UK households spent £1.1bn more on groceries in December for fewer items

Spending higher than year earlier, with World Cup football pushing up beer sales

UK households spent £1.1bn more on groceries in December than a year earlier, taking Christmas spending to a record £12.8bn, but got 1% fewer items in their baskets as rampant inflation hit home.

Many stocked up on drink to enjoy while watching the men’s football World Cup, with sales of beer reaching the highest level for the year on the day of England’s quarter-final against France on 10 December.