Waitrose and budget grocers outpace rivals
TESCO AND MORRISONS’ market shares are still under pressure from fierce competition, retail data showed yesterday, as upmarket and discount retailers outpaced the middle market.
Kantar Worldpanel figures for the 12 weeks to 13 May 2012 revealed that Aldi grew sales by more than 25 per cent compared with the same period last year, achieving a record market share of 2.8 per cent.
Lidl also held onto its 2.8 per cent share, growing sales by 11.3 per cent while high-end grocer Waitrose boosted sales by seven per cent to keep its 4.5 per cent market share.
Tesco and Morrisons both saw their market share dip slightly compared to the same three-month period a year ago, from 31.1 to 30.8 per cent and 21.1 to 11.9 per cent respectively.
Edward Garner, a director at Kantar, said, rather than flocking to the discount sector, “many consumers are continuing to do their main shopping trip in their usual store, but spending the remainder of their household budget on the discounters”.
The market as a whole grew by just 3.1 per cent over the period – lower than the five per cent seen last year as retailers failed to match their 2011 sales, which were boosted by the Royal Wedding bank holiday.