New retail statistics covering the Christmas period in the UK have outlined the strength of grocers at the top and bottom of the spectrum, as premium group Waitrose and discounters Aldi and Lidl enjoyed strong results.
According to Kantar, Aldi and Lidl posted growth rates of 30.1 per cent and 10.8 per cent respectively for the 12 weeks to 23 December 2012, when compared with the same period of 2011, while Waitrose growth came in at 5.4 per cent.
Total grocery market figures grew 3.2 per cent, the same as the previous period, Kantar reported.
'Historically, the discounter sector has seen its share dip at Christmas as shoppers treat themselves and trade up, but the all-time record share of 3.2 per cent for Aldi is a sign of the times and shows that this is no longer the case,' said Kantar's Ed Garner. 'Aldi and Lidl both benefited from carrying items such as goose, venison and fine wines in their pre-Christmas catalogues this year. It seems that offering premium products at budget prices has paid off for the discount retailers.'
Sainsbury's proved the only 'big four' retailer to increase its share compared with 2011, with growth of 3.4 per cent, with Morrisons in particular turning in a negative performance, Kantar noted.
'The well-publicised under-performance of Morrisons continues and it is the only big four supermarket to lose sales compared with last year,' Garner added. 'This highlights its need to address the lack of convenience outlets and an online offering in 2013, as already clearly identified by the retailer.'
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