Latest data from Kantar shows the Northern Irish grocery market grew by 13.9% in the 52 weeks to 24 January. However, it has decelerated slightly in the shorter-term as sales increased by 13.4% in the past three months.
Emer Healy, retail analyst at Kantar, commented: “After almost a full year of national lockdowns and restrictions, we visited stores an average of 20 times fewer than we did the year before the pandemic. With people eating more meals at home and adding more items to their trolleys, volume per trip soared by 18.1% year on year as shoppers picked up an average of two additional items each time they visited the supermarket.”
Meanwhile, shoppers continued to look for ways to treat themselves as they spent more time at home. Sales of alcohol increased by 37.9% year-on-year and confectionery and savoury treats saw sales grow ahead of the total market at 15.7% and 18.2% respectively.
Looking at individual retailer performances, Healy said: “Lidl increased sales by 20.5% and achieved the strongest growth among the retailers. The grocer successfully recruited more shoppers which contributed an additional £5.9m to its overall takings this period.
“Asda’s sales rose by 9.3% this period with its success driven by shoppers putting more groceries in their trolleys in the store than in any other retailer. Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s regulars also continued to pick up more items during their shop which boosted its sales by £61.2m and helped the supermarket achieve growth of 13.7%.
“Tesco maintained its crown as Northern Ireland’s biggest grocer, taking 35.1% of the market this period and increasing its sales by 12.2%. More than nine in ten Northern Irish households have visited the store during 2021.”
NAM Implications:
- Bigger baskets and fewer trips…
- …mean the consumer is being affected by Lockdown shopping resistors:
- Queues, marshals, social distancing, number-restrictions in the aisle.
- Meanwhile, reduced cross border trips mean increased sales in Ireland at expense of NI.
- Reduced sales of Asda’s most successful store (Enniskillen) means overall reduction in Asda NI.
