Lidl has overtaken Waitrose as shoppers turn to discounters – but analysts warn that grocery bills will continue to rise
LIDL has overtaken Waitrose to become the seventh-largest supermarket in the UK as cash strapped shoppers increasingly turn to discounters.
Data from Kantar Worldpanel found Lidl increased its market share to a new record high of 5.2 per cent with sales rising 19.9 per cent in the 12 weeks to August 13.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retailer and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, said 10 million households visited Lidl during the period as the retailer increased sales by 18.9 per cent overall.
Not far behind, Aldi grew sales by 17.2 per cent and increased market share by 0.8 percentage points to stand at 7 per cent.
Britain's big four supermarket - Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons - increased their sales in the period but they still lost market share to the budget stores, who are continuing to grow at faster rate and open new stores.
The big four supermarket now account for just 69.3 per cent of the UK grocery market – down from 76.3 per cent five years ago.
Kantar analysts meanwhile warned that household bills will continue to rise this year.
Grocery price inflation rose to 3.3 per cent after remaining steady for the last two months.
The five ways you can save on your grocery shop
- COMPARE food prices online. As with any purchase you’re about to make, you should always compare retailers to see who’s offering the best prices.
- Use discount codes. It pays to check sites like MoneySavingExpert and VoucherCloud to nab supermarket discounts and voucher codes. A simple search online could help you save £10 or £20 off an online order.
- Buy own-brand goods. Unbranded goods are significantly cheaper than their branded counterparts, so opting to buy the former could cut your bill down considerably.
- Use cashback websites. You can earn cashback each time you make a grocery order online, giving you extra savings on your weekly shop.
- Find yellow sticker bargains. Reduced items with the magic yellow sticker can be up to 75 per cent cheaper than the retail price, and if you have a big freezer then its the perfect way to stock up on the best brands for less.
With inflation at its current level, price increases could add a further £138 to the average household’s annual grocery bill, with the price of butter and fish seeing the biggest hikes.
Checking the small print when going grocery shopping, following your favourite supermarkets on social media to track the latest deals and most importantly not going shopping hungry to avoid buying too much are just a few things you can do to cut your shopping bills.
CUTTING COSTS Looking to cut down on your grocery bills? Here’s how to get jaw-droppingly low priced food
It's also worth checking grocery comparison website to see how the price compares before you buy an item.
Mum-of two- Sally Ashwell-Fletcher revealed how she saves about £30 on every shop by using an online supermarket where all the products are past or near their "best before" dates.
The Sun Online previously also spoke with Emily Leary who told us how you can save £60 on food every month just by rearranging your fridge and adjusting portion sizes.
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