* UK grocery inflation eases to 11%
* Supermarkets have been cutting prices of staple products

By James Davey
       LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - British grocery inflation
eased to its lowest rate for 15 months heading into October,
industry data showed on Tuesday, providing more relief for
shoppers hurt by high prices and for the government whose key
economic pledge is to bring inflation down.
    Market researcher Kantar said annual grocery inflation was
11% in the four weeks to Oct. 1, down from 12.2% in its
September report.
    “Grocery price inflation is still very high, but shoppers
will be relieved to see the rate continuing to fall," Tom Steel,
Kantar's strategic insight director, said.
    "For the first time since last year, the prices of some
staple foods are now dropping and that’s helping to bring down
the wider inflation rate." 
    All of the country's major supermarket groups have cut the
prices of essential products in recent months.
    Market leader Tesco          said last week it had reduced
the prices on 2,500 products in its first half and predicted
food inflation would continue to fall in the second.
    But prices of some products are still rising. Kantar said
they are rising fastest in areas such as eggs, sugar
confectionery and frozen potato products.
    The Kantar data going into October provides the most
up-to-date snapshot of UK grocery inflation. Official data
published last month showed overall inflation in August was
6.7%, with food inflation at 13.6%.
    Its recent downward trajectory is being closely watched by
consumers, the Bank of England as it considers interest rates, 
and lawmakers, given that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has
promised to halve overall inflation in 2023 ahead of a probable
national election in 2024.
    Kantar said grocery sales rose 9.1% in the four weeks to
Oct. 1 year-on-year.
    The joint warmest September on record boosted sales of
traditional summer favourites, with volume sales of ice cream,
burgers and dips up by 27%, 19% and 10%, respectively.
    Separate surveys published on Tuesday by the British Retail
Consortium and Barclays showed consumers held off on much of
their nonessential spending last month as rising prices for
motor fuel compounded the broader hit from the high cost of
living.
    
    UK supermarkets' market share and sales growth (%)
                  Market share  Market share  % change in
                  12 wks to     12 wks to     sales
                  Oct. 1 2023   Oct. 2 2022   (yr-on-yr)
                                              
 Tesco            27.4          27.0          9.2
 Sainsbury's      14.8          14.7          9.1
 Asda             13.7          14.3          2.9
 Aldi             9.9           9.3           14.9
 Morrisons        8.6           9.0           2.1
 Lidl             7.6           7.1           15.2
 Co-operative     6.1           6.4           3.3
 Waitrose         4.6           4.7           5.3
 Iceland          2.2           2.3           2.8
 Ocado            1.7           1.6           9.6
 Source: Kantar

 (Reporting by James Davey in London
Editing by Matthew Lewis)