Tesco marginally increased its share of the NI grocery market from 34.5% to 34.8% in the 12 months to the end of January, according to data published by Kantar Worldpanel.

This represents Tesco’s largest share of the NI grocery market since October 2015. Figures over the past five years show that the retailer’s market share fell from 35.9% in the 12 months to January 2013 to a low of 34.4% in June 2016.

Tesco also experienced the sharpest increase in sales among retailers over the 12-month period to the end of January 2017, up 2.2% overall.

Sainsbury’s is the second largest retailer in NI with 17.2% of market share in January, down from 17.7% at the same point in 2016. Sales in Sainsbury’s also dipped by 1.3% over the 12-month period.

Asda had a 1% increase in sales and its market share dipped marginally over the 12 months from 17.5% to 17.4%.

Lidl’s sales were up 2.1% in January and its market share remained unchanged at 5.2% over the 52 weeks to the end of January. The discount retailer’s share of the NI grocery market has continued to increase over the past four years from around 3.8-3.9% seen throughout most of 2012 and 2013.

Republic of Ireland

Meanwhile, Kantar Worldpanel figures show that 0.3 percentage points separate the three main retailers in the grocery market share in the Republic of Ireland.

In the 12 months to the end of January, figures show that Dunnes Stores has returned to first place with 22.7% market share. This is only the second time Dunnes Stores has had the largest grocery share in the Republic of Ireland having first held this position in November last year also.

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