The average household spent €193 on Christmas day in 2016 – €35 more than in the previous year – according to Kantar Worldpanel.

“As in previous years, 2016 was defined by fierce competition for the grocery market, with Ireland’s three biggest supermarkets vying for the top spot all year long,” director at Kantar Worldpanel David Berry said. “With shoppers willing to fork out more over Christmas, it’s a vital time of year for grocers – an opportunity to pull away from the competition.”

Even though Christmas Day fell on a Sunday in 2016, 55% of the population still chose to brave the supermarkets on Friday 23 December, making it the busiest day for retailers.

“It was Supervalu that came out on top after a tussle with Dunnes Stores at the end of last year, a position the retailer has held for 10 out of the past 12 periods,” said Berry.

Sales in Dunnes Stores were 5% higher than in the previous year and the average spend per trip was higher than in any other retailer at €41.60. Tesco sales grew by 1.3% in the fourth quarter, while Aldi had the strongest growth of all Irish supermarkets with sales up by 5.3%.

In terms of products, biscuits and chocolates did better than usual over the festive period in 2016.

“Irish families spent 9% more on seasonal confectionery than last year, making sure they had plenty of sweet treats to keep them going over the festive period,” said Berry.

“More were in the mood for a Christmas tipple too, with alcohol experiencing double-digit growth. This was partially down to more multi-buy promotions in stores tempting shoppers to up their spend.”

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