Aldi has become Britain’s fifth largest supermarket, according to the latest grocery market share figures from Kantar Worldpanel, for the 12 weeks ending 29 January 2017. With sales up 12.4% year on year, the retailer increased its market share by 0.6% to clinch fifth place for the first time.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, explained, “Just a decade ago Aldi was the UK’s tenth largest food retailer, accounting for less than 2% of the grocery market.
'Since then the grocer has grown rapidly, climbing the rankings by an impressive five places to hold a 6.2% market share. Underpinned by an extensive programme of store openings, the past quarter has seen Aldi attract 826,000 more shoppers than during the same period last year.'
McKevitt, continued, “Despite being overtaken by Aldi, Co-op’s 2% sales increase was well ahead of the market, continuing a run of growth stretching back to July 2015. A significant own label sales increase of 7% was behind the strong performance, with healthier ranges successfully catering to consumers’ good intentions for the new year.
“Not all shoppers were convinced by the health message though: while overall sales of healthy own label lines increased by 3%, a dry January was certainly not on the cards for many of us – sales of beer increased by 4% over the past 12 weeks, with wine up by 1% over the same period.”