Great Britain Leads Europe’s FMCG Inflation as NIQ Launches New Inflation Barometer

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 6, 2026--

NIQ (NYSE: NIQ) today launches its new EU5 FMCG Inflation Barometer - a monthly tracker across five Western Europe markets – France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain – designed to help retailers, manufacturers and the media understand how inflation is evolving across Europe’s largest grocery markets and how shoppers are responding.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260806579111/en/

The first edition of the Barometer reveals that while inflation across Europe’s FMCG sector remains relatively contained overall, significant differences persist between countries.

Key findings include:

The monthly Barometer also tracks department-level inflation, price elasticity, and how shoppers are reacting to inflation to manage higher grocery costs, including buying more on promotion, switching to cheaper products or reducing purchase volumes.

For example, in Great Britain for the period ending 24 th May 2026, Non-Alcoholic Beverages recorded the highest inflation (+4.4%), followed by Confectionery & Snacks (+2.8%) and Frozen Food (+2.7%). In contrast, Homecare and Paper Products are in deflation (-1.1% and -0.9% respectively).

Benjamin Cawthray, Client Director at NielsenIQ, said: “The first edition of the NIQ EU5 Inflation Barometer reveals a slowdown in FMCG inflation across Western Europe's largest markets. By May 2026, EU5 FMCG inflation had slowed to + 1.1 %, reaching its lowest level of the year as pricing pressures eased across most markets.

“While inflation is cooling at a regional level, the picture varies significantly by country. Great Britain remains the clear outlier, with FMCG inflation holding above 2%, while France has moved back into deflationary territory. Across continental Europe, a growing gap is emerging between FMCG inflation and broader consumer inflation, suggesting that supermarket pricing is no longer moving in line with wider economic trends. Shopper behaviour reflects these changing conditions. By analysing changes in promotional purchasing, retailer and brand choice, private label engagement, category participation and purchase volumes, the Barometer uncovers the key behaviours shaping FMCG growth across EU5 markets. This provides critical context to inflation trends, revealing how consumers are adapting their spending decisions in response to changing market conditions.”

He continued: “The findings highlight how inflation may be converging at a regional level, but shopper responses and category dynamics remain highly market specific, creating different opportunities and challenges for manufacturers and retailers across Europe.”

Notes to the Editor
1 NIQ Retailer Pricing Services Data; 13-week period ending May 24, 2026 vs. same period year ago.

About the NIQ EU5 Inflation Barometer
The NIQ EU5 Inflation Barometer is based on harmonised FMCG retail measurement, consumer panel data and advanced analytics. It provides monthly analysis of inflation trends, shopper behaviour and price elasticity across France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. For more information, please visit this page.

About NIQ
NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) is a leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete and trusted understanding of consumer buying behaviour and revealing new pathways to growth. By combining an unmatched global data footprint and granular consumer and retail measurement with decades of AI modeling expertise, NIQ builds decision systems that help companies turn complex data into confident action.

With operations in more than 90 countries, NIQ covers approximately 82% of the world’s population and more than $7.4 trillion in global consumer spend. Through cloud-based platforms, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights, NIQ delivers The Full View™—helping brands and retailers understand what consumers buy, why they buy it, and what to do next.

© 2026 Nielsen Consumer LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Forward Looking Statement:
This press release about NIQ’s Inflation Barometer, may contain forward-looking statements regarding anticipated consumer behaviors, market trends, and industry developments. These statements reflect current expectations and projections based on available data, historical patterns, and various assumptions. Words such as " will", “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “believes,” “forecasts,” “plan,” “look ahead,” “indicates”, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future outcomes and are subject to inherent uncertainties, including changes in consumer preferences, economic conditions, technological advancements, and competitive dynamics. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. While we strive to base our insights on reliable data and sound methodologies, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Food and Beverage Inflation remains widespread, led by non-alcoholic drinks

EU5 CPG Inflation slows to +1.1%

NONTHABURI, Thailand (AP) — A student shot several people at a high school outside Bangkok on Friday morning, killing at least five and wounding several others, according to authorities, who said the gunman also appeared to have separately killed his two grandparents.

The shooter then took his own life, officials said.

Five school staff members, including teachers and administrators, died in the shooting around 10 a.m. at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province northwest of Bangkok, Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said at the scene.

The shooter also killed his two grandparents at home prior to the school shooting, Polapee said.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, speaking after touring the school, confirmed reports that the shooter was 14 years old and killed himself. He said the boy, who lived with his grandparents, had shown signs of stress connected to school.

The gun, described by police as small and compact, was legally registered to his grandfather, he said.

About an hour after the shooting, people stood outside comforting one another as police and first responders walked around the co-educational state school, which has an enrollment of about 3,000 students ranging from 12 to 18 years old.

A witness told reporters that students hid inside a classroom while they heard gunshots from another building before police officers knocked on the door and cleared a way for them to leave the building.

Amporn Niamfuang, who owns a restaurant roughly 50 meters from the school, said the narrow road outside her shop quickly filled with fleeing students after the shooting started.

“At first I heard just one gunshot, and there was a pause,” Amporn said. “And then there were multiple continuous shots.”

“Students were running scared and pouring onto the street. Young girls were holding each other’s hands and crying. I went inside to hide."

Bangyai Hospital, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the school, said 23 people were wounded and 10 were in critical condition, with most suffering gunshot wounds. Earlier reports gave conflicting casualty numbers.

The school said all classes will be suspended from Aug. 10-14, and school staff are instructed to work from home in that period.

After the school shooting, police went to the home of the shooter’s grandparents but the door was locked and there was no response to their calls, regional police Commander Wattana Yeejeen said.

Officers broke the door lock and found both the grandparents had died of apparent gunshot wounds, Wattana said.

Police spokesperson Trairong Piwpan said the boy appeared to have shot his grandparents first before attending school as normal. After the class had started for a while, the boy began shooting from inside his classroom, before walking out and continuing shooting.

He said the boy fired more than 20 shots and more than 30 rounds were found on him after he shot himself.

Several family members of the alleged shooter, including his uncle and sisters of the grandfather who were at the family home while police investigated, said he usually kept to himself and was a good student.

The family members said they were unaware of any troubles he faced at home or school.

Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan but far surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Data collected in 2017 by the groups Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org in their last extensive international study found civilian gun ownership in Thailand was about 15.1 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 in neighboring Malaysia.

Thailand had 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, according to 2023 statistics published by World Population Review. That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, but relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.

In February, a 17-year-old stole a gun from police and opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, briefly taking people hostage in a two-hour attack that killed one person and injured two others.

A 14-year-old boy was accused of a 2023 shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall.

Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok and Kaweewit Kaewjinda in Nonthaburi, Thailand, contributed to this report.

A parent leaves after picking his child after a shooting at the Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Thailand's Nonthaburi province, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

First responders and others stand inside after a shooting at the Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Thailand's Nonthaburi province, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A schoolgirl cries outside her school where deaths and injuries were reported after a shooting in Thailand's Nonthaburi province, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A crowd gathers outside a school where deaths and injuries were reported after a shooting in Thailand's Nonthaburi province, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A schoolgirl cries outside her school where deaths and injuries were reported after a shooting in Thailand's Nonthaburi province, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)