UK's Big 4 Retailers Hold On To Market Share, Report Shows

In the UK, the big 4 retailers have managed to hold on to their market share, losing only 0.2 percent of consumers, in the 12-week period ending May 22, 2016, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Data from the market research firm revealed 94 percent of discount retailers Lidl and Aldi customers still visit at least one of the big 4 retailers every four weeks. Sales continued to decline for the big four, however, with Tesco showing the smallest sales drop at 1.0 percent. Sainsbury’s saw its sales drop 1.2 percent, causing its market share to fall to 16.2 percent. Asda’s low-price strategy remained vulnerable to discounters Aldi and Lidl’s expansion and saw sales falling 5.1 percent, with 15.8 percent of the market. Morrisons saw its sales affected by store disposals, while Waitrose posted sales growth of 2.1 percent, grabbing 5.3 percent of the grocery market. Lidl and Aldi remained the fastest growing retailers, rising 14.2 percent and 11.4 percent, respectively.