Dunnes Stores has retained its position as the leading Irish grocery retailer, accounting for 22.3% of consumer spend during the 12 weeks to 19 May.
The Irish grocery market reported an overall growth of 4.2% during the period, according to the latest data from Kantar.
‘Premium Food Retailer’
Douglas Faughnan, consumer insight director at Kantar, commented, “Dunnes has shown little interest in going head to head with Aldi and Lidl on price, instead preferring to carve out its position as Ireland’s premium food retailer through smart acquisitions and partnerships with upmarket brands such as Sheridans Cheesemongers and James Whelan Butchers.
“At the same time, it is making a clear attempt to prevent losing price-conscious shoppers through its Everyday Savers range,” Faughnan added.
Tesco emerged second, with 22.1% market share and a 3.6% growth in the value of sales, while Aldi and Lidl grew their combined market share to 23.6%.
Increased volume sales (+4.8%) and a shift in promotional strategy were the main factors behind Tesco’s growth.
Combined Market Share
Aldi and Lidl’s combined market share was higher than any individual retailer for the third consecutive period, according to the data.
“As Aldi and Lidl have grown, they have placed an increased emphasis on their premium own-label and branded ranges,” Faughnan said.
“This is a clear attempt to capture more spend from those shoppers who, while seeking value, are also prepared to splash out on certain occasions,” he added.
Musgrave-owned retailer SuperValu registered growth of 0.9%, with a 21.2% market share.
“A key feature of SuperValu’s performance has been the 7.1% uplift in the value of each trip – on average, shoppers spend an additional €1.60 every time they visit, compared with the same period last year,” Faughnan explained.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
