Ocado has warned that annual sales will decline as customers buy fewer expensive products and generally buy less due to the rising cost of living.
The online grocery store, which is partially owned by Marks & Spencer, said its revenue increased 2.7% from a year ago in the 13 weeks to August 28, an improvement on the decline in the previous quarter. Due to rising energy bills and higher food prices, shoppers put less in their shopping carts and look for cheaper products. The value of the average trolley fell by 6%, from € 141 to € 133.
With job openings in Britain nearing record highs, retailers like Tesco have begun offering better benefits to workers, enticing them with free food and essentials during a cost-of-living crisis. Employees receive free fruit, hot and cold drinks, breakfast items such as cornflakes and bread spreads, bread, pasta and noodle snacks, and toiletries such as deodorant, a Tesco spokesman said.
