A survey provided exclusively to the BBC by retail data firm Kantar showed that 27% of those asked had started writing regularly, or have been making more use of shopping lists by the end of last year.
She says that they show not only people's shopping needs, but also something of their lives. There is a love message hidden in the column of groceries. In another, a child loves a joke about her mum, at the same time as illustrating the list.
A list and having plans is better for personal finances and means less goes in the bin. But you can still see certain brand names on the lists Even in tight times, people won't give up on certain things. The top 10 was relatively stable compared to the previous year, but Mrs Terry says there had been a clear impact from rising costs. Innovation among brands had slowed and there were signs that people were still willing to treat those they love, even though there had been more thoughtful buying among consumers.