The latest TNS Worldpanel grocery market share figures, for the 12 weeks ending May 20, 2007, carry heartening news for Morrisons, as its growth rate continues at the record level of five per cent - the highest since the Safeway takeover.
Morrisons could be set for a further boost, as these figures are ahead of any of the new advertising or store revamps it is putting into action.
Alongside Tuesday’s news that Kwik Save will close a third of its stores in a battle to secure its future, the share loss continues with the retailer now representing just 0.2 per cent of the grocery market. “The share loss at Kwik Save, however, is larger than the share gains displayed by the discounters (Aldi, Lidl, Netto) which implies that we are unlikely to emulate Germany with a wholesale move to discount shopping,” said TNS Worldpanel’s director of research Ed Garner.
Asda and Sainsbury’s continue to provide healthy competition for Tesco as they both record strong growth of eight per cent year on year. Both chains have added 0.3 share points compared with a year ago.
The Tesco growth rate is marginally lower at seven per cent, but it is still ahead of the market average, lifting the share to 31.3 per cent compared with 31.1 per cent a year ago.
Somerfield suffers another turnover drop of four per cent compared with last year, although its share has held steady during 2007.
Both the Co-op and independents are largely matching the market growth rate, which remains at six per cent year on year, and are therefore holding share.
