Asda Market Share Slides as Summer Sales Slump

Asda has suffered a decline in market share, raising the prospect of being overtaken by Aldi as Britain’s third largest supermarket. New industry figures from Worldpanel show Asda’s sales fell by 2.6 per cent in the August quarter, bringing its UK market share down to 11.8 per cent from 12.7 per cent a year ago.

This setback comes despite attempts to reverse its fortunes under former chief executive Allan Leighton, who returned last November to steer a turnaround. Since its acquisition by private equity firm TDR Capital in 2021, Asda’s market share has slid from 15 per cent to its current level, leaving the grocer just one percentage point ahead of Aldi.

The overall grocery market delivered growth of 4.5 per cent across the period, with shoppers choosing branded items in supermarkets rather than dining out. Grocery price inflation eased slightly to 5 per cent in August, compared with 5.2 per cent in July, yet the pinch on consumer wallets remains. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel, notes that consumers are still adapting their spending to manage persistent price increases.

As consumers directed more of their budget towards supermarket shopping, spend on other segments of the high street contracted, with fast-service and casual restaurants experiencing a 6 per cent drop in footfall this summer.

Lidl and Ocado emerged as star performers in the sector, each notching a 10.7 per cent rise in sales year on year. Lidl’s gains have edged it closer to surpassing Morrisons as the UK’s fifth biggest supermarket. Morrisons itself grew sales by 0.9 per cent and currently holds an 8.4 per cent market share. Like Asda, it continues to navigate challenges posed by private equity ownership.

Market leaders Tesco and Sainsbury’s both strengthened their positions, with sales growing by 7.4 per cent and 5.2 per cent respectively. Tesco now commands 28.4 per cent of the market, while Sainsbury’s ranks second with 15 per cent. Despite the sales decline, Asda maintains that its inflation rate remains lower than rivals, highlighting ongoing investment in price cuts via its Rollback and Asda Price schemes.