Britain's leading supermarkets lose market share as Aldi and Waitrose soar
The data from Kantar highlights the pressure on the middle-market supermarkets as an increasing number of shoppers turn to the discounters Aldi and Lidl, or upmarket food stores such as Waitrose.
James Grzinic, retail analyst at Jefferies, said: “In contrast to previous periods, the 'big four’ food retailers are seeing sales growth converge such that there is no longer a clear winner or loser amongst the grocery majors. Quality operators and the discount stores continue to see strong topline momentum.”
Tesco remains the biggest supermarket in the UK, but its market share in the period fell from 30.5pc to 29.8pc as its sales rose by 0.7pc. In contrast, Aldi’s sales rose 31.1pc in the period and its market share increased from 3pc to 3.9pc.
Edward Garner, director at Kantar, said: “The number of shoppers visiting Aldi has grown by 16pc year-on-year at the same time as the average basket size has swelled by nearly 15pc. In fact, almost a third of British households have shopped in Aldi in the past 12 weeks.
“In direct contrast, sales of premium products have also increased significantly over the past year. This Christmas shoppers will be seeking both luxury and lower prices.”
Source: telegraph.co.uk
