Take-home sales at Northern Ireland’s grocers rose by 2.1% to more than £4.4 billion in the year March 22 compared with the same period the previous year, according to the latest data from Worldpanel by Numerator.
And although store visits continued to decline, down 8.8% year on year, shoppers bought more on each trip, adding an extra £106 million to the market, with seasonal events including Easter helping to boost spending.
Emer Healy, business development director at Worldpanel by Numerator, says: “As the conflict in the Middle East continues to put upward pressure on global fuel prices, attention is increasingly turning to the impact this could have on household finances.
“Grocery inflation remains high, and further price rises are likely in the months ahead.
“During previous periods of rising inflation, shoppers responded by changing the way they buy, whether that meant switching to lower-cost alternatives, buying less, or making more use of promotions.
Emer Healy, business development director at Worldpanel by Numerator
“We would expect to see similar behaviour again as households look for ways to manage their budgets.”
Despite the pressure of higher prices, branded goods continued to lead the market, holding a 56% value share and growing by 4.6%, equivalent to an additional £109 million.
It was a slightly different story for own label, where growth was driven by premium ranges, as shoppers continued to look for small ways to treat themselves.
Over the last 12 weeks, nearly 28% of Northern Ireland households bought hot cross buns, the data shows.
Shoppers shelled out an extra £15.2 million on chocolate confectionery compared with last year as well as £14.7 million on alcohol year on year.
Meanwhile Tesco not only retained its position as the north’s leading supermarket, but also increased its share to 38.9%. Its performance was boosted by both new shoppers and larger baskets, contributing an additional £126.3 million over the period.
Tesco has strengthened its position as the north’s leading supermarket with a 38.9% market share, according to new data (Joe Giddens/PA)
Sainsbury’s follows with a 17.3% market share, and benefited from an influx of new shoppers, as well as existing customers returning to store more frequently, together contributing an additional £18.9m to its performance.
Asda now holds a 14.5% value share, while Lidl accounts for 9.6%.
Other multiples command a 6.8% share, symbols boast 5.5% and ‘all other outlets’ make up 7.4% of the north’s grocery market.