Asda was the only leading UK supermarket to experience a sales drop ahead of the Christmas season. Insights from NIQ reveal a decrease in Asda’s market share and sales.
- In contrast, Ocado saw significant growth with a sales increase of 16.2%, gaining market share.
- M&S entered the festive period strongly with a notable 10.6% sales jump, boosting its market presence.
- Waitrose saw modest growth, although its market share slightly declined, highlighting varied performance among retailers.
- The Christmas season is expected to see supermarket sales exceed £13bn, fueled by a demand surge for premium products.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Asda stood out as the only major UK supermarket to face a sales decline, according to NIQ data. Asda’s market share reduced by 1.1 percentage points, landing at 12.1%, with overall sales dropping by 4.2% in the 12 weeks ending on November 30. This trend is particularly noteworthy given the generally buoyant seasonal trading period for retailers.
In stark contrast, Ocado enjoyed robust growth, emerging as the UK’s fastest-growing retailer during the same period. Ocado’s sales surged by 16.2%, pushing its market share up by 0.2 percentage points to reach 1.8%, marking a successful period for the online retail giant.
M&S also reported a strong start to the holiday season with a 10.6% increase in sales. This growth raised M&S’s market share by 0.2 percentage points to 3.7%, reflecting consumer confidence in the brand during this competitive period.
On the other hand, Waitrose experienced more modest sales growth of 1.9%. Despite this increase, Waitrose’s market share saw a slight decline, making it a mixed result for the premium grocer as it navigates the busy Christmas trading environment.
Overall, the upcoming Christmas season is projected to be a record-setting period for UK supermarkets, with expected sales surpassing £13 billion. A significant driver of this growth is the increased consumer expenditure on premium own-label product lines, with spending on these items rising to 5% and projected to reach close to 7% by the end of December.
The holiday season reflects varied performances across UK supermarkets, with supermarket sales poised to break records.
