Business

Tesco adds to market share - despite cordoned off Belfast store

Tesco still commands 35.2 per cent of the Northern Ireland supermarket share despite its Belfast city centre Metro store being inside the cordon following the Primark fire
Tesco still commands 35.2 per cent of the Northern Ireland supermarket share despite its Belfast city centre Metro store being inside the cordon following the Primark fire Tesco still commands 35.2 per cent of the Northern Ireland supermarket share despite its Belfast city centre Metro store being inside the cordon following the Primark fire
By Gary McDonald Business Editor

THE third-plus Northern Ireland-wide command of Tesco's supermarket market share hasn't been impacted in the slightest by the two-month closure of its Metro store in Belfast city centre.

Figures from Kantar Worldpanel, covering the 12 weeks ending October 7, show that 35.2 per cent of supermarket spend in the north is at a Tesco till.

That was up slightly on the previous period, and is despite the Belfast outlet - albeit small compared to its behemoth stores in the regions - being inside the cordon imposed after the Primark fire on August 28, and where not a single loaf or tin of beans or bottle of wine has been sold.

Over grocery sales in Northern Ireland are continuing to rise though, with the market seeing overall growth of 1.4 per cent over the past year.

Douglas Faughnan, consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel, said: “The average household spent a record £4,336 on groceries over the past 12 months, an increase of 0.9 per cent on last year, which amounts to an additional £38 per person.

“Tesco continues to lead the field with sales up 1.9 per cent. The supermarket’s growth is thanks in no small part to the fact that the average price paid by Tesco shoppers has risen by 3.5 per cent in the past 12 months.

“Sainsbury’s has maintained its 0.2 percentage point lead over Asda, with the two retailers posting sales growth of 1.2 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively. Despite this growth, Sainsbury’s market share fell by 0.1 percentage points to 17.3 per cent and Asda’s dropped by the same amount to 17.1 per cent.

“Lidl continues to perform strongly in Northern Ireland, with sales up 8.1 per cent on last year. With the average product 35p cheaper than the rest of the market, the grocer is continuing to attract new shoppers while encouraging existing customers to buy more every time they visit.”

South of the border, Dunnes Stores has claimed the top spot in the Irish grocery market for the first time since February, posting a sales growth of 3.4 per cent over the latest period, propelling it to an overall market share of 22.1 per cent.