Aldi has continued to record rocketing sales after industry data from Kantar Worldpanel revealed its highest ever growth rate and a record market share.

The discounter grew sales 31.1% in the 12 weeks to April 15 and its market share rose to 3.4% from 2.7% last year despite being at the centre of the horse meat scandal earlier this year. Rival Lidl also notched a record market share of 3%.

Sainsbury’s was the strongest performer of the big four grocers and the only one to grow its market share. Its sales rose 5.4% and it now holds a 16.9% share of the market.

Asda grew sales 3%, Tesco 1% and Morrisons remained the laggard with 0.3% growth.

Waitrose also posted a record share of 4.9%, a result Kantar said may have been positively impacted from its transparent supply chain in the wake of the horse meat scandal.  

Iceland grew sales 7.2% and Farm Foods 2.3% while The Co-operative’s sales shrank 1.8% as its market share fell from 6.5% last year to 6.1% in the latest period.  

Kantar Worldpanel director Edward Garner: “Pressure on household budgets is undoubtedly driving some of the growth at the discounters, but messages about quality are starting to resonate. Lidl announced this week that it will increase its fresh meat and poultry floorspace by 50% within the year, and Aldi’s new ‘convenience’ store in Kilburn is a departure from its traditional edge-of-town offering. 

“These changes are likely to appeal to a new and different group of shoppers which will bolster the performance of the discounters even further.”

Shorter more volatile four week Kantar data showed Tesco recorded growth of 2.3%, Sainsbury’s 2.4%, Morrisons 0.8% while Asda’s growth fell 0.2% in the four weeks to April 15.

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