Irish Grocery Shoppers Grapple with Prices Despite Slowing Inflation
In the latest edition of our dentsu Pulse survey, we checked in with 1,000 Irish adults to understand how their grocery shopping habits are evolving, especially in the context of a slowdown in inflation.
While price increases are no longer as sharp as they were in recent years, shoppers are still feeling the pinch. The reality is that a typical grocery basket costs significantly more today than it did compared to 2022.
Since 2023, we've been closely monitoring how rising living costs are shaping consumer behaviour, particularly when it comes to choosing between branded and private label products - those supermarket-branded alternatives that often come at a lower price point than big-name brands. We also explored how consumers perceive these private labels - do they consider them “brands” in their own right?
Shoppers Are Still Price-Conscious, But Not at Any Cost
Even with prices remaining stubbornly high, fewer people now say that price is the most important factor when choosing a product or service. At the same time, willingness to switch brands or stores continues to climb, suggesting that while price matters, it’s not the only thing consumers weigh in their decision-making.
When it comes to where people are doing their main supermarket shop, there’s been little change over the past few years: Tesco, Dunnes Stores and Lidl remain the most frequently mentioned.
Yet when we turn to Kantar’s market data, we see that Dunnes, Tesco and SuperValu hold the top spots for market share; likely influenced by the price and composition of the average shopping basket at each retailer.
Private Label is Strong, But Not Across All Categories
A particularly interesting trend has emerged in how shoppers approach private label. Fruit is now the top category where consumers report regularly buying supermarket-branded items (74%), followed closely by dry goods like pasta and rice (73%).
Overall, nearly all adults (97%) say they buy private label products in at least one category. In fact, two in five say they opt for own-brand items in the majority of supermarket categories (at least 9 out of 15 we asked about). That said, we’ve noticed a small decline in private label purchasing year-on-year across several key categories.
There are still certain products where brand loyalty reigns supreme. Tea and coffee remain strongholds for national brands - shoppers are least likely to switch to own-brand here, even for savings. The same holds true for alcohol, chocolate, sauces and condiments, and bread, where many consumers are willing to pay more for what they perceive as higher quality or familiar taste.
What Does This Mean?
Key Insights on Irish Grocery Shopping and Private Label Trends
Our latest findings show that supermarket own-brand products remain a critical part of the grocery mix for Irish consumers. A striking 97% of adults now include private label in at least part of their grocery shop. But with continued pressure on household budgets, we’re starting to see some softening: fewer adults now say they buy Private Label in several staple categories, including dry goods, raw meat, seafood or poultry, and dairy.
Interestingly, there’s still some confusion among shoppers about what exactly constitutes a private label product. Many consumers expect to see the supermarket's name on the packaging to consider it "own-brand" - a perception that can skew results and complicate comparisons.
When we look across the private label spectrum, a clear pattern of brand loyalty emerges in specific categories. Tea and coffee are by far the most protected, with 76% of shoppers unwilling to switch to own-brand even if it's cheaper. Alcohol (64%), chocolate (59%) and toiletries (48%) also see strong resistance.
New to our survey this year, sauces and condiments appear to follow suit: while 42% buy private label in this category, more than half (53%) say they wouldn’t make the switch, regardless of price.
While inflation is easing, the legacy of high prices continues to shape how Irish consumers shop, shoppers are still actively looking for savings - but they’re also clear about the categories where brand value still matters most.
Want deeper insights? Download the full Pulse Wave 2 Report here
For more insights and information about the research, contact:
Zsofi Toth, Associate Strategy Director, dentsu Ireland.