UK % market share of supermarkets � Groceries market

Page last modified 14 April 2023

 

Note: these are yearly average values � individual monthly values typically fluctuate by a few tenths of a percentage point. Sources, Kantar, IGD.

For recent figures see also https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/en/grocery-market-share/great-britain

Because these are yearly overall figures, latest-year figures may be subject to revision.

 

Click here for graph of changing UK market shares of main supermarkets 1970 to present.

 

Defunct store chains

 

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See foot of this page for UK Grocery market � total size; also online sales and organic grocery sales.

 

Aldi

Since the 2007 Credit Crunch began, the hard discounters Aldi and Lidl have gained considerable market share at the expense of the �Big Four� (Asda, Morrison, Sainsbury, Tesco); shoppers have become much less inhibited about buying from a �cheap� store. Aldi and Lidl have also moved upmarket to meet the middle classes �coming down�, and even as financial pressures for some have eased as the Credit Crunch ends, shoppers have not migrated back to the Big Four. In 2015 Aldi overtook Waitrose to become the UK�s 6th biggest grocer.

1994, 0.3%

1995, 0.8%

1996, 0.9%

1997, 0.8%

1998, 0.8%

1999, 1.6%

2000, 1.5%

2001, 1.3%

2002, 1.7%

2005, 2.2%

2006, 2.5%

2007, 2.5%

2008, 2.9%

2009, 2.9%

2010, 3.1%

2011, 3.2%

2012, 3.2%

2013, 3.9%

2014, 4.8%

2015, 5.3%
2016, 6.2%

2017, 6.8%

2018, 7.4%

2019, 8.1%

2020, 7.8%

2021, 7.7%

2022, 9.1%

 

Asda

Rapid expansion saw Asda overtake Sainsbury for 2nd place in the UK grocery market in 2003. However their growth has stalled since the Credit Crunch began in 2007, as the hard discounters Aldi and Lidl have gained ground.

1970 �1.5%

1973 �2.5%

1976 �4.7%

1978 �6.3%

1980 �8.0%

1982 �9.3%

1984, 7.2%

1987 �7.2%

1988, 7.9%

1990, 9.4%

1992, 9.4%

1993, 9.5%

1994, 9.9%

1995, 10.7%

1996, 11.8%

1997, 12.5%

1998, 13.0%

1999, 13.2%

2000, 14.1%

2001 �14.7% �

2002 �16.1%

2003, 16.2%

2004, 16.6%

2005, 16.5%

2006, 16.6%

2007, 16.7%

2008, 17.0%

2009, 17.0%

2010, 16.9%

2011, 17.1%

2012, 17.3%

2013, 17.6%

2014, 17.2%

2015, 16.9%

2016, 15.5%

2017, 15.3%

2018, 15.1%

2019, 14.9%

2020, 14.1%

2021, 14.2%

2022, 14.0%

 

Co-op

1915, 18 - 20%

1939, 14.1%

1965, 35.0%

1980, 9.0%

1987, 7.6%

1989, 7.6%

1990, 8.2%

1991, 8.1%

1992, 7.6%

1993, 6.9%

1994, 6.6%

1995, 6.5%

1996, 6.1%

1997, 5.9%

1998, 4.7%

1999, 6.2%

2000, 5.4%

2001, 5.0%

2003, 5.2%

2004, 5.0%

2007, 4.7%

2008, 8.1% inc S�field

2009, 7.7% inc S�field

2010, 6.5% inc S�field

2013, 6.3%

2014, 6.2%

2015, 6.1%

2016, 6.3%

2017, 5.8%

2018, 6.4%

2019, 6.4%

2020, 7.2%

2021, 5.8%

2022, 5.6%

 

Iceland

A staple low-price High Street store, who have largely maintained market share since the Credit Crunch. However they have been overtaken in market share by the hard discounters Aldi and Lidl.

1989, 1.1%

1990, 1.2%

1991, 1.3%

1992, 1.5%

1993, 1.6%

1994, 3.4%

1995, 3.2%

1996, 2.9%

1997, 3.0%

1998, 3.3%

1999, 2.8%

2000, 2.8%

2001, 2.8%

2002, 2.6%

2003, 2.3%

2004, 2.1%

2005, 1.9%

2006, 1.7 %

2007, 1.7%

2008, 1.7%

2009, 1.8%

2010, 1.9 %

2011, 1.9%

2012, 2.0%

2013, 2.0%

2016, 2.2%

2017, 2.2%

2018, 2.1%

2019, 2.1%

2020, 2.5%

2021, 2.4%

2022, 1.7%

 

Kwik Save (see �Somerfield� from 1998 on)


1970 0.3%

1973 0.6%

1976 1.4%

1978 4.0%

1984 2.4%

1987 2.7%

1990, 2.7%

1991, 3.2%

1992, 3.8%

1993, 4.1%

1994, 4.0%

1995, 4.2%

1996, 4.1%

1997, 3.6%

1998, 3.4%

1999, 4.7%

2000, 3.5%

2001, 2.6%

 

Lidl

Since the 2007 Credit Crunch began, the hard discounters Aldi and Lidl have gained considerable market share at the expense of the �Big Four� (Asda, Morrison, Sainsbury, Tesco); shoppers have become much less inhibited about buying from a �cheap� store. Aldi and Lidl have also moved upmarket to meet the middle classes �coming down�, and even as financial pressures for some have eased as the Credit Crunch ends, shoppers have not migrated back to the Big Four. In 2017 Lidl overtook Waitrose to become Britain�s 7th largest grocer.

1995, 0.3%

1996, 0.5%

1997, 0.6%

1998, 0.7%

1999, 1.0%

2000, 1.3%

2001, 1.4%

2002, 1.4%

2004, 1.8%

2005, 2.1%

2006, 2.1%

2007, 2.2%

2008, 2.3%

2009, 2.3%

2010, 2.4%

2011, 2.6%

2012, 2.8%

2013, 3.1%

2014, 3.5%

2015, 3.7%

2016, 4.6%

2017, 5.1%

2018, 5.4%

2019, 5.8%

2020, 5.9%

2021, 6.5%

2022, 7.2%

 

Morrison

Morrison has been undercut by the hard discounters Aldi and Lidl. It has also suffered from late entry to the online market and also late entry to the convenience store format. Morrison�s� M-Local store sites were bought at high prices and some are in less-favourable locations.

1987, 0.9%

1989, 1.2%

1990, 1.4%

1991, 1.7%

1992, 1.7%

1993, 1.9%

1994, 3.6%

1995, 4.0%

1996, 4.2%

1997, 4.0%

1998, 4.3%

1999, 4.3 %

2000, 4.9%

2001, 5.4%

2002 5.7%

2003 6.0%

7/2003 14.6% (total)

7/2003 (M�son) 5.7%

7/2003 (S�way) 8.9%

11/2003, 14.8% (total)

11/2003 (M�son) 6.0%

11/2003 (S�way) 8.8%)

7/2004 13.9% (total)

7/2004 (M�son) 6.4%

7/2004 (S�way) 7.5%

11/2004, 13.2% (total)

11/2004 (M�son) 7.4%

11/2004 (S�way) 5.8%

12/2004, 12.4% (total)

12/2004 (M�son) 7.6%

12/2004 (S�way) 4.8%

2005, 11.5%

2006, 11.3%

2007, 11.2%

2008, 11.4%

2009, 11.6%

2010, 12.0%

2011, 12.0%

2012, 11.9%

2013, 11.7%

2014, 11.1%

2015, 11.0%

2016, 10.8%

2017, 10.6%

2018, 10.5%

2019, 10.3%

2020, 10.3%

2021, 10.1%

2022, 9.1%

 

 

Netto(1)

Netto�s UK stores were bought by Asda in 2010; Asda, like the other Big Four and Waitrose, wanted a chain of local stores. Unlike the other four grocers, Asda chose not to create such a chain by organic expansion but bought Netto�s UK stores instead.

1994, 0.6%

1999, 0.6%

2000, 0.6%

2001, 0.6%

2002, 0.6%

2003, 0.6%

2004, 0.6%

2005, 0.7%

2006, 0.7%

2007, 0.6%

2008, 0.7%

2009, 0.7%

2010, 0.7%

5/10, bought by Asda � see Netto(2) below.

 

Netto(2)

From 2010, when Asda bought Netto�s UK stores (see Netto(1) above) the Netto brand was not used in Britain. In June 2014 Sainsbury�s announced it is to bring back the Netto fascia with discount grocery stores in the north of England, in a joint� venture with Dansk, Danish owner of the Netto chain in Europe. In common with the upmarket moves by Aldi and Lidl, the new Netto stores will offer high-end items such as fresh groceries and Danish bakery items, along with keenly-priced staple goods.

 

Safeway (Argyll Group):-


1982, 3.8%

1984, 5.1%

1987 �9.0%

1988, 9.7%

1990, 11.2%

1992, 9.6%

1993, 10.1%

1994, 10.0%

1995, 10.0%

1996, 10.3%

1997, 10.8%

1998, 10.5%

1999, 10.0%

2000, 10.4%

2001 10.5%

2002, 10.5%

July 2002 9.9%

July 2003 9.2%

2004 on, see Morrison

Sainsbury

Sainsbury have done least badly of the Big Four by maintaining market share in the face of the discounters; along with Waitrose they have attracted upmarket shoppers looking for a treat. However they were overtaken by Asda, who surpassed them in market share in around 2003. However Asda were then hit harder by the rise of the hard discounters Aldi and Lidl, and Sainsbury are (2020) back above Asda again.

1950 1.0%

1970 �6.1%

1973 7.0% �

1976 7.7% �

1978 10.6% �

1982 14.5%

1984, 11.6%

1987, 12.3%

1988, 14.5%

1989� 15.8%

1990, 16.3%

1992, 19.5%

1993, 19.6%

1994, 20.0%

1995, 19.1%

1996, 19.7%

1997, 19.6%

1998, 19.0%

1999, 18.2%

2000, 17.9%

2001, 17.8%

2002, 17.1%

2003, 16.2%

2004, 15.7%

2005, 15.9%

2006, 16.2%

2007, 16.3%

2008, 16.2%

2009, 16.3%

2010, 16.6%

2011, 16.3%

2012, 17.0%

2013, 16.9%

2014, 16.4%

2015, 16.3%

2016, 16.5%

2017, 16.4%

2018, 15.6%

2019, 15.3%

2020, 14.9%

2021, 15.7%

2022, 15.5%

 

 

Somerfield (inc. Kwik Save 1998 - 2007).

1986, 7.2%

1990, 5.0%

1991, 4.7%

1992, 4.3%

1993, 4.2%

1994, 5.5%

1995, 6.0%

1996, 5.5%

1997, 5.3%

1998, (total) 7.2%

1998, (K�save) 3.4%

1998 (S�field) 3.8%

1999, (S�field) 4.8%

2000, (S�field) 4.5%

2001 (total) 6.3%

2001 (K�save) 2.5%

2001, (S�field) 3.7%,

2002 (total) 5.7%

2002 (K�save) 2.4%

2002 (S�field) 3.3%

2003, (total) 6.2%

2003, (K�save) 2.5%

2003 (S�field) 3.7%

2004, 5.7% (total)

2004 (K�save) 2.2%

2004 (S�field) 3.5%

2005, (total) 5.8%

2005 (K�save) 1.6%

2005 (S�field) 4.2%)

2006 (total) 4.5%

2006 (K�save) 1.2%

2006 (S�field) 3.3%

2007 (total) 3.8%

2007 (K�save) 0.2%

2007 (S�field) 3.6%

2008, 3.8%

2008, Somerfield was bought by the Co-op

2012, The Kwik Save brand was relaunched as a small convenience-store format by Costcutter

 

Tesco

Tesco, who at one time held nearly one third of the UK grocery market, have lost ground to the discounters at one end of the market and to Sainsbury and especially to Waitrose at the other end. In 2008 they had almost a third of the entire UK grocery market, but in 2020 hold just over a quarter.


1971, 7.2%

1974, 8.6%

1977, 8.3%

1978, 12.4%

1982, 14.3%

1984, 11.9%

1986, 13.4%

1987 �12.0%

1988, 14.8%

1990, 15.7% �

1992, 17.2%

1993, 18.0%

1994, 18.3%

1995, 20.8%

1996, 21.5%

1997, 22.6%

1998, 23.0%

1999 �23.7% �

2000, 25.0%

2001 �25.2%

2002, 25.9%

2003, 27.0%

2004, 28.0%

2005, 30.4%

2006, 31.1%

2007, 31.3%

2008, 31.1%

2009, 30.7%

2010, 30.6%

2011, 30.4%

2012, 30.6%

2013, 29.9%

2014, 29.1%

2015, 28.4%

2016, 28.3%

2017, 28.2%

2018, 27.6%

2019, 27.2%

2020, 26.7%

2021, 27.9%

2022, 27.5%

 

Waitrose

Waitrose gained market share in 2004 after buying 19 former Safeway stores from Morrison; Morrison had to sell these after it took over Safeway, to avoid local monopoly situations.� These acquired stores allowed Waitrose to expand beyond its core territory of south-east England. In 2013 Waitrose started providing free coffee to My Waitrose card holders, along with free newspapers for buying just �5 worth of shopping; much to the annoyance of other coffee shops, these initiatives, along with the cheaper �Essentials� range, have helped Waitrose to greatly �increase its market share even during the Credit Crunch. However Waitrose�s growth has slowed from 2014 and in 2015 it was beaten into 7th place in UK market share, overtaken by Aldi.

1984, 2.1%

1987, 2.3%

1990, 1.7%

1991, 1.7%

1992, 1.7%

1993, 1.6%

1994, 1.6%

1995, 1.7%

1996, 1.8%

1997, 1.8%

1998, 1.8%

1999, 2.7%

2000, 2.7%

2001, 3.1%

2002, 3.1%

2003, 3.2%

2004, 3.4%

2005, 3.7%

2006, 3.9%

2007, 4.0%

2008, 3.9%

2009, 3.8%

2010, 4.2%

2011, 4.4%

2012, 4.5%

2013, 4.8%

2014, 5.1%

2015, 5.1%

2016, 5.3%

2017, 5.2%

2018, 5.0%

2019, 5.0%

2020, 4.7%

2021, 5.1%

2022, 4.7%

 

UK grocery market, total size (nominal� value) (organic sales, deflated to 1995 prices), deflated to 1972 prices, deflator)

Values have been deflated using the Retail Price Index.�

See http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/

1972, �7.3 billion, �7.3 billion, 1.00

1973, �8.2 billion, �7.5 billion, 1.09

1982, �25 billion, �6.7 billion, 3.74

1990, �59.9 billion, �10.3 billion, 5.80

1991, �64.7 billion, �10.5 billion, 6.15

1992, �69.2 billion, �10.8 billion, 6.38

1993, �72.7 billion, �11.1 billion, 6.48

1994, �76.0 billion, �11.5 billion, 6.63

1995, �80.4 billion, (0.20 bn) �11.7 billion, 6.86

1996, �84.0 billion, (0.25 bn, 0.24bn) �11.9 billion, 7.03

1997, �87.5 billion, (0.30 bn, 0.28 bn) �12.1 billion, 7.25

1998, �93.3 billion, (0.40 bn, 0.37 bn) �12.4 billion, 7.50

1999, �96.6 billion, (0.60 bn, 0.54 bn) �12.7 billion, 7.61

2000, �99.8 billion, (0.80 bn, 0.70 bn) �12.7 billion, 7.84

2001, �106.3 billion, (0.92 bn, 0.79 bn) �13.3 billion, 7.98

2002, �111.1 billion, (1.00 bn, 0.85 bn) �13.7 billion, 8.11

2003, �115.8 billion, (1.10 bn, 0.90 bn) �13.9 billion, 8.35

2004, �120.0 billion, (1.20 bn, 0.96 bn) �14.0 billion, 8.59

2005, �124.6 billion, (1.60 bn, 1.24 bn) �14.1 billion, 8.84

2006, �128.7 billion, (1.90 bn, 1.43 bn) �14.1 billion, 9.12

2007, �133.6 billion, (2.08 bn, 1.50 bn) �14.5 billion, 9.51

2008, �139.2 billion, (2.11 bn, 1.46 bn) �14.1 billion, 9.89

2009, �146.2 billion, (1.84 bn, 1.28 bn) �14.9 billion, 9.84

2010, �152.2 billion, (1.73 bn, 1.15 bn) �14.8 billion, 10.30

2011, �157.2 billion, (1.67 bn, 1.06 bn) �14.6 billion, 10.79

2012, �163.2 billion, (1.74 bn, 1.07 bn) �14.6 billion, 11.18

2013, �169.7 billion, (1.79 bn, 1.06 bn) �14.7 billion 11.54

2014, �174.0 billion, (1.86 bn, 1.08 bn) �14.8 billion, 11.77

2015, �177.5 billion, (1.95 bn, 1.12 bn) �14.9 billion, 11.91

2016, �186.0 billion, (1.95 bn, 1.10 bn) �15.4 billion, 12.11

2017, �192.6 billion, (2.20 bn, 1.20 bn) �15.4 billion, 12.54

2018, �190.3 billion, (2.34 bn, 1.24 bn) �14.7 billion, 12.96

2019, �192.0 billion, (2.48 bn, 1.28 bn) �14.5 billion, 13.29

2020, �205.0 billion, (2.90 bn)

2021, �212.0 billion, (3.05 bn)

2022, �217.0 billion, (3.11 bn)

�

UK grocery market, total size (nominal� value) (organic sales, deflated to 1995 prices), deflated to 1972 prices, deflator)

Values have been deflated using the Retail Price Index.�

See http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/

 

Between 1972 and 2009 the population of the UK rose from 55.5 million to 61.0 million, a rise of 11.0%.� This is a small increase by global standards (see Population Growth Map).� Per capita real spending on food has therefore risen by 83.8% over this period, a modest annual rise of 1.6%.� However much �added value� has been transferred to the food we buy, as we purchase more ready meals now than in 1972, effectively outsourcing the cooking from households to food manufacturers.� The UK grocery market is highly competitive, with little growth and extra sales only to be gained from poaching other�s customers.� This has been a major incentive for the large UK supermarkets to diversify into non-food sales.

 

UK organic sales have risen due to concerns over health, pesticides and obesity. The COVID-19 lockdown of 2020-21 also boosted organic sales as many higher earners were working from home and had more time for home cooking.

 

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