Hard discounters Aldi and Lidl and upscale grocer Waitrose were the fastest growing food retailers in the last three months.

Aldi’s sales rose by 15% in the 12 weeks to April 17 while Lidl’s rose 14.7%. Waitrose was up 7.7%, while the rate of industry growth overall was 3.6% according to the latest Kantar Wordpanel data.

Aldi and Lidl’s performances results in record market shares, although still small at 3.3% and 2.6% respectively.

Hard discounters did well during the downturn but Kantar Wordpanel communications director Edward Garner said the reasons for their upsurge now are different.

He said: “This trend is not a re-run of 2008 when new shoppers turned to these outlets in response to the recession and 9% food inflation.

“Currently, discounter growth is fuelled by existing shoppers sharply increasing their spending levels.”

The industry growth rate of 3.6% was an improvement on the 2.6% posted last time.

Garner said: “Part of the reason for this is the late timing of Easter in 2011. Seasonal products all showed sharp decreases over the same period last year as Easter was much earlier. However, this year there may be a degree of catch-up taking place as Easter markets peak later.”

Kantar reported that grocery price inflation was 4.3% over the 12 weeks but is likely to begin to subside in the summer and should not exceed 5%.

 

MARKET SHARE - TOTAL TILL ROLL

Includes all expenditure through main store tills and excludes petrol & instore concessions

  12 Weeks to 18 April 2010  12 Weeks to 17 April 2011 change
 £000s%   * £000s %   *%
Total Till Roll    29,909,790     30,690,380 2.6
 Total Grocers          22,457,130100.0%          23,256,110100.0%3.6
   Total Multiples            21,935,87097.7%            22,717,13097.7%3.6
      Tesco                6,855,70230.5%                7,076,90830.4%3.2
      Total Asda                3,957,16617.6%                4,046,08817.4%2.2
        Asda                3,803,36216.9%                3,898,38116.8%2.5
        Netto                   153,8040.7%                   147,7070.6%-4.0
      Sainsbury’s                3,672,71416.4%                3,792,60516.3%3.3
      Morrisons                2,657,27011.8%                2,764,88111.9%4.0
      Co-operative                  1,308,2745.8%                1,570,8916.8%20.1
      Somerfield                   362,7851.6%                      9,6220.0%-97.3
      Waitrose                   923,6444.1%                   994,8914.3%7.7
      Iceland                   409,8611.8%                   434,0661.9%5.9
      Aldi                   664,0823.0%                   763,5153.3%15.0
      Lidl                   523,9832.3%                   601,0852.6%14.7
      Farm Foods                   130,0980.6%                   144,6100.6%11.2
      Other Multiples                   470,2962.1%                   517,9742.2%10.1
   Symbols & Independents                 521,2592.3%                 538,9722.3%3.4