However, a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that 49 percent of adults bought less food because of rising prices. Half of the shoppers too reported that they had to spend more than usual to get what they usually buy.
According to the ONS, the amount of food purchased began declining last summer and is now 3 percent below pre-pandemic levels.
They said: “Rising prices have led to behavioral changes. In recent months, people have cut back on food purchases due to the cost of living crisis.”
However, they also added that the amount households spend on “sporting equipment, games and toys” remains higher than before the pandemic.
This is also the case with “garden items, such as flowers, plants, seeds and fertilizers”.
According to the survey, spending in these two categories was 14 and 13 percent higher than in 2019.
The figures suggest Britons are sticking to hobbies and pursuits they adopted during the covid lockdowns.
During the lockdowns, many people gardened and played games or sports to pass the time.
The survey also found that high street retailers are slowly recovering from the devastating effects of the pandemic.
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They said: “While online shopping has been a growing behavior in recent years, the pandemic appears to have accelerated the trend.
“However, in recent months we have started shopping in stores again, although online spending remains high.”
According to the figures, about 9.5 percent of supermarket purchases are made online.
The ONS survey also shows the extent to which prices have risen over the past two years.
In May, retail spending was 13 percent higher than in February 2020, but retail volumes were only 2.6 percent.
According to the ONS, consumers postponed larger purchases due to economic uncertainty.
They said, “Deferrable expenses, i.e. clothing and footwear, car purchases and household items, have fallen in the past month, but it was already well below what it was in February 2020.”