UK food inflation increases as shoppers buy Easter eggs early

Lidl and Ocado grow strongly, but Asda loses market share despite recent reset, Kantar figures show

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Food inflation increased last month, driven by price rises in chocolate and confectionery, while Britons have already splashed out more than £130m on Easter eggs and other seasonal sweets despite the late fall of the holiday.

Sales at the UK’s main grocers rose 3.2%, just behind grocery inflation which rose to 3.5% in the month to 23 March. In the previous month inflation was 3.3%, according to the industry analysts Kantar.