13th Jan 2021 15:27
(Alliance News) - German discount supermarket chain Lidl on Wednesday reported record Christmas sales, boasting it was the fastest growing retailer versus the Big 4 supermarkets.
In the 4-week period to December 27, overall sales in the UK improved 18% year on year.
"With Christmas favourites driving customer spend, basket size increased by 25% year-on-year and British households switched GBP34.7 million of spend from all supermarkets, choosing Lidl to supply their festive favourites. The impressive growth figures were supported by enticing incentives found via the retailer's Lidl Plus rewards app," Lidl said.
Chief Executive Christian Hartnagel added: "Despite this Christmas being a difficult time for many across the country, we are pleased to have been able to help our customers enjoy themselves by offering high quality food at the lowest prices on the market. Our record sales and significant basket size growth just demonstrates the strength of the Lidl appeal."
Lidl continued to press ahead with its store expansion programme, opening 4 new stores in December including in Southampton and Nottingham. Lidl has over 800 stores in the UK.
"This forms part of the supermarket's GBP1.3 billion investment for the next two years and moves it closer to the target of 1,000 stores by 2023, which it remains on track to achieve," the supermarket added.
German peer Aldi reported, last week, sales in the four weeks to December 24 surged 11% year-on-year.
UK supermarkets had their busiest month ever in December, market research firm Kantar said Tuesday last week, as the usual festive sales boom was turbocharged by lockdown measures that forced bars and restaurants to shut once again.
Out of the London-listed UK grocers, Ocado posted the chunkiest annual sales rise, but Tesco PLC and J Sainsbury PLC both gave up some market share during the 12 weeks to December 27.
Total UK grocery sales during the 12 weeks, which included the run-up to Christmas, jumped 11% annually to GBP32.69 billion from GBP29.35 billion.
Morrison said like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, over Christmas and the New Year were 9.3% higher annually. For the nine weeks of the fourth quarter to date, which ends on January 31, retail like-for-like sales excluding-fuel were up 7.3%.
Sainsbury's said like-for-like sales in the nine weeks to January 2 - so including the key festive period - were up 9.3% year-on-year. For the whole of its third-quarter, like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, climbed 8.6%. Including fuel, like-for-like sales were up a more modest 3.2%.
Tesco reports on its festive fortunes on Thursday.
By Paul McGowan; [email protected]
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