Price rises have driven grocery market inflation to its highest level in four years.
New figures from Kantar Worldpanel show supermarket value sales increasing 3.2 per cent in the 12 weeks to 5 November 2017, with like-for-like inflation of 3.4 per cent. That represents the highest figure since November 2013 and comes at a time when volume sales have increased by less than one per cent.
Lidl is again Britain’s fastest-growing supermarket for the fifth consecutive period, with sales up 15.1 per cent, with new store openings contributing to the strong performance. Some 10.6 million households visited Lidl at least once during the past three months, boosting the discounter's market share by 0.5 percentage points to 5.1 per cent.
Sales at Aldi, which attracted 11.9 million households during the same period, increased sales by 13.1 per cent, pushing the retailer’s market share to 6.7 per cent.
Among the big-four stores, Sainsbury's was the fastest growing with a 2.6 per cent sales increase, with an additional 364,000 shoppers going through its door. “Brands were the fastest-selling products at Sainsbury’s during the past 12 weeks – particularly in soft drinks and dairy – flying in the face of the market’s focus on own-label lines,' said Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel. 'The grocer’s strongest growth came from both its Local convenience stores and online sales.'
However despite a positive quarter, Sainsbury’s market share fell back by 0.1 percentage points year on year to stand at 16.2 per cent. Tesco, meanwhile, grew sales by 2.3 per cent, but its market share slipped 0.2 points to 28 per cent.
Elsewhere Asda's budget Farm Stores range grew by 88 per cent, while its Extra Special lines grew 22 per cent. Waitrose held market share steady year on year at 5.3 per cent, and Ocado increased sales by 6.8 per cent.
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