Lidl crowned fastest growing UK supermarket with sales rising 11.4%

Lidl crowned the fastest growing UK supermarket with sales rising 11.4% in the last three months

Lidl is now the fastest-growing supermarket in Britain, according to the latest market data.

Sales at the German discounter rose by 11.4 per cent in the 12 weeks to February 23, taking the top spot for the first time since 2017, data provider Kantar said. 

Ocado, whose home delivery business is expected to receive a boost from the coronavirus outbreaks, saw growth slow slightly to 10.8 per cent.

Booming: Lidl’ new £70 million distribution centre in Motherwell, which opened in October last year. The German discounter is now the fastest-growing supermarket in Britain

Aldi’s total sales rose 5.7 per cent, which handed it a 7.9 per cent share of the market.

But in a sign its growth is running out of steam, analysts at Shore Capital said sales may be falling once new store openings are stripped out.

Sainsbury’s was the only supermarket among the Big Four to grow, increasing sales by 0.3 per cent. 

Tesco and Asda dipped by 0.8 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively while Morrisons’ sales were 2 per cent lower than the same period last year, and as a result its market share fell to 10.2 per cent.

Fraser McKevitt, head of consumer insight at Kantar, said: ‘Sainsbury’s has performed well this period despite a challenging market. 

‘Lidl has been benefiting from its store expansion programme for a number of years. The new locations have helped to bring in nearly 900,000 additional shoppers.’

The Sainsbury’s boost comes months before chief executive Mike Coupe bows out after his failed merger with Asda.

Overall grocery spend in the last three months was up by 0.7 per cent year-on-year, the fastest rate since November.

Waitrose, owned by struggling John Lewis Partnership, which releases its results tomorrow, saw its sales fall 1.3 per cent year-on-year.

All supermarkets are braced for the impact of coronavirus and are expecting an impact. However firms with a large delivery network are expected to benefit, and on Monday Ocado shares jumped.

Last month, sales of hand sanitiser increased by 255 per cent, while liquid soaps were up by 7 per cent, Kantar reported.

 

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