Shoppers are being left bewildered by an array of supermarket promotions and the confusion will only get worse if the number of offers continues to rise, according to a new poll.

From 1,001 shoppers polled by IGD ShopperVista, 44% found it difficult to compare prices due to information overload.

Speaking at the IGD Convention in London today, IGD chief executive Joanne Denney-Finch said shoppers were finding it difficult to “cut through the in-store noise”, suggesting there needed to be a balance in promotional activity.

“In these conditions too many promotions can be a distraction,” she said. “While is it essential to keep delivering value, there are many ways to do this beyond promotions – for instance, through services that help people to plan their meals, and through bigger incentives for loyalty.”

Denney-Finch cited the Australian retailer Coles as an example. The firm gave customers a regular discount of 10% on five products of their own choice whenever they spent over AU$50 (£31.88).