Ireland’s grocery sales have seen their biggest fall for two years as shoppers reign in spending in the face of “tough” economic conditions, the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel reveal.

According to Kantar, the grocery market fell by 1.3% in the 12 weeks ending 8 July, the biggest year-on-year decline since August 2010.

The news demonstrates the deep-seated economic problems that are hitting Irish household incomes.

However, there are those who have benefited from the situation. Retailer own-label sales are up 1.9%, while retailers with a strong price message – Aldi, Lidl and Tesco – are also gaining share.