Shoppers claim to have started stockpiling for no-deal Brexit – survey
One in 10 shoppers claim to have started stockpiling food to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, a survey suggests.
Kantar Worldpanel noted that the claims had not been reflected in sales “just yet”, with overall grocery volumes rising at a stable 1.2% in the four weeks to February 24.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, said: “Despite one in 10 shoppers saying they have started stockpiling groceries and a further 26% reporting that they are considering doing so, this has not been borne out in sales just yet.”
The latest UK #Grocerymarketshare update shows year-on-year supermarket sales growth of 1.9% during the 12 weeks to 24 February 2019. Click to read the full story: https://t.co/jQ7CL7X9mapic.twitter.com/DMbgaM9XcT
— Kantar Worldpanel (@K_Worldpanel) March 5, 2019
Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s was the worst performer of the “big four” grocers over the 12 weeks to February 24, Kantar’s analysis shows.
Sainsbury’s – which is trying to buy Asda for £7.3 billion – suffered a sales drop of 1%, reducing its market share by 0.5 percentage points to 15.7%.
This compared with gains of 1.3%, 1% and 0.8% at market leader Tesco, Asda and Morrisons respectively.
Sainsbury’s and Asda suffered a major blow last month when the competition regulator said in a provisional ruling that it could block the deal unless the pair sell off significant stores or even one of the brands.
Asda and Sainsbury’s now have a potential combined market share of 31.2% as they await the final Competition and Markets Authority ruling on their proposed merger.
Kantar Worldpanel said all of Britain’s big four supermarket chains lost market share in the 12-week period to German-owned discounters Aldi and Lidl.
Aldi’s sales were up 10%, while Lidl’s rose 5.4%, taking their combined market share to 12.8%.
Rival analysts Nielsen reported that growth in shoppers’ spending slowed to 2.5% in February from 3.3% last month, with consumers spending less per visit as Brexit causes increased caution.
Mike Watkins, Nielsen’s UK head of retailer insight, said: “Over the last four weeks, the average spend per visit has fallen to £16.30 from £16.70 this time last year, down 2%, as a result of the resurgence of ‘little and often’ shopping behaviour but also due to price cutting by supermarkets.”
Nielsen figures for the last 12-week period show Tesco leading with 26.8% market share, followed by Sainsbury’s at 14.8%, Asda at 13.8% and Morrisons at 9.8%.
Kantar Worldpanel Plus surveyed 7,008 adults online between February 1-4 for its findings on shoppers stockpiling groceries.