Retailers with a strong price positioning continue to benefit in the economic downturn but the premium end of the market experiences increasing pressure.
TNS Worldpanel market share data for the 12 weeks to 2 November 2008 show Waitrose has seen its growth rate fall back progressively for the last eight reporting periods and is now standing at 1.3% year-on-year growth.
This is in stark contrast to the discounters where growth continues to power ahead.
The total discount sector (Aldi, Lidl and Netto) now stands at a record 6.2% market share for the 12 weeks ending 2 November 2008 and Aldi’s year-on-year growth has hit a record 23.9%.
For the major supermarkets, the pace continues to be set by Asda and Morrisons, which are both out-performing the market with growth rates of 9% and 9.4% respectively.
Tesco’s dominant share continues to be under pressure with a year-on-year drop of 0.4 share points. Sainsbury’s performance is robust, however, with share virtually unchanged despite operating in a market increasingly driven by value-based messages.
TNS reports grocery price inflation has started to fall back in the latest reporting period to 8.9% from 9.3% last time.
This figure is based on over 75,000 identical products compared year-on-year in the proportions purchased by British shoppers.