UK grocery retailers have doubled their presence in the world’s top 20 after Sainsbury’s joined its big four rival Tesco in the elite list.
Despite enduring turbulent trading conditions in Britain, as a fierce price war, food deflation, changing shopper habits and property writedowns all contributed to statutory losses, the duo recorded sales figures in 2014 that ranked them among the biggest global grocers.
According to Planet Retail’s list, Tesco cemented its position as the world’s sixth biggest grocer by banner sales, after raking in $109.69bn (£72.38bn) in 2014.
Sainsbury’s surged into the top 20 for the first time, driven by the expansion of its convenience business and improvements in like-for-like c-store sales, which Planet Retail research director Kelly Tackett called the “bright spark” of the business.
The grocer replaced Safeway (USA) in 20th place after it sold its Canadian business in late 2013.
International markets
US retail titan Walmart remains top of the pile after generating sales of $511.18bn (£337.18bn) in 2014.
French grocer Carrefour held firm in second place, but its annual sales of $133.52bn (£88.07bn) represented a little over a quarter of Walmart’s total.
Costco moved into the top three as annual sales surpassed just shy of $116bn (£76.51bn).
Collectively, the top 20 largest grocers generated sales growth of just 1.1% year-over-year, up slightly from the 1.0% increase registered in 2013.
Tackett said: “Many retailers were challenged by difficulties in their home markets, particularly Western European retailers, which saw consumers shift away from big boxes toward convenience, discount and online formats, and Japanese retailers, whose sales were curbed by a consumption tax.”
Rank | Change YoY | Retailer | Estimated sales 2014 (USD) | Number of outlets 2014 | Predicted sales 2019 (USD) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | − | Walmart | 511.18bn | 11,151 | 572.51bn |
2 | − | Carrefour | 133.52bn | 11,504 | 143.32bn |
3 | ↑ | Costco | 115.95bn | 663 | 159.04bn |
4 | − | Schwarz Group | 113.76bn | 11,270 | 126.46bn |
5 | ↑ | Kroger | 111.66bn | 3,432 | 133.28bn |
6 | − | Tesco | 109.69bn | 7,706 | 112.38bn |
7 | − | Seven & I | 99.47bn | 31,547 | 110.28bn |
8 | − | Aldi | 95.6bn | 10,343 | 110.89bn |
9 | − | Auchan | 84.81bn | 3,850 | 95.99bn |
10 | − | Target | 75.93bn | 1,923 | 83.36bn |
11 | ↑ | Edeka | 66.04bn | 13,299 | 63bn |
12 | − | Metro Group | 62.15bn | 1,182 | 54.66bn |
13 | ↑ | Rewe Group | 59.35bn | 10,183 | 59.35bn |
14 | ↓ | AEON | 58.7bn | 8,414 | 58.26bn |
15 | ↓ | Casino | 58.47bn | 11,810 | 64.35bn |
16 | − | Leclerc | 56.84bn | 758 | 55.22bn |
17 | − | Woolworths (AUS) | 52.71bn | 2,806 | 58.52bn |
18 | − | Ahold | 45.4bn | 2,691 | 49.04bn |
19 | ↑ | ITM (Intermarche) | 43.46bn | 2,716 | 46.48bn |
20 | ↑ | Sainsbury’s | 42.59bn | 2,716 | 44.06bn |
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