Hard discounters Aldi and Lidl and upscale grocer Waitrose were the fastest growing food retailers in the last three months.
Aldi’s sales rose by 15% in the 12 weeks to April 17 while Lidl’s rose 14.7%. Waitrose was up 7.7%, while the rate of industry growth overall was 3.6% according to the latest Kantar Wordpanel data.
Aldi and Lidl’s performances results in record market shares, although still small at 3.3% and 2.6% respectively.
Hard discounters did well during the downturn but Kantar Wordpanel communications director Edward Garner said the reasons for their upsurge now are different.
He said: “This trend is not a re-run of 2008 when new shoppers turned to these outlets in response to the recession and 9% food inflation.
“Currently, discounter growth is fuelled by existing shoppers sharply increasing their spending levels.”
The industry growth rate of 3.6% was an improvement on the 2.6% posted last time.
Garner said: “Part of the reason for this is the late timing of Easter in 2011. Seasonal products all showed sharp decreases over the same period last year as Easter was much earlier. However, this year there may be a degree of catch-up taking place as Easter markets peak later.”
Kantar reported that grocery price inflation was 4.3% over the 12 weeks but is likely to begin to subside in the summer and should not exceed 5%.
MARKET SHARE - TOTAL TILL ROLLIncludes all expenditure through main store tills and excludes petrol & instore concessions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Weeks to 18 April 2010 | 12 Weeks to 17 April 2011 | change | |||
| £000s | % * | £000s | % * | % | |
| Total Till Roll | 29,909,790 | 30,690,380 | 2.6 | ||
| Total Grocers | 22,457,130 | 100.0% | 23,256,110 | 100.0% | 3.6 |
| Total Multiples | 21,935,870 | 97.7% | 22,717,130 | 97.7% | 3.6 |
| Tesco | 6,855,702 | 30.5% | 7,076,908 | 30.4% | 3.2 |
| Total Asda | 3,957,166 | 17.6% | 4,046,088 | 17.4% | 2.2 |
| Asda | 3,803,362 | 16.9% | 3,898,381 | 16.8% | 2.5 |
| Netto | 153,804 | 0.7% | 147,707 | 0.6% | -4.0 |
| Sainsbury’s | 3,672,714 | 16.4% | 3,792,605 | 16.3% | 3.3 |
| Morrisons | 2,657,270 | 11.8% | 2,764,881 | 11.9% | 4.0 |
| Co-operative | 1,308,274 | 5.8% | 1,570,891 | 6.8% | 20.1 |
| Somerfield | 362,785 | 1.6% | 9,622 | 0.0% | -97.3 |
| Waitrose | 923,644 | 4.1% | 994,891 | 4.3% | 7.7 |
| Iceland | 409,861 | 1.8% | 434,066 | 1.9% | 5.9 |
| Aldi | 664,082 | 3.0% | 763,515 | 3.3% | 15.0 |
| Lidl | 523,983 | 2.3% | 601,085 | 2.6% | 14.7 |
| Farm Foods | 130,098 | 0.6% | 144,610 | 0.6% | 11.2 |
| Other Multiples | 470,296 | 2.1% | 517,974 | 2.2% | 10.1 |
| Symbols & Independents | 521,259 | 2.3% | 538,972 | 2.3% | 3.4 |
No comments yet