STRONG sales in fresh produce helped the UK grocery market record a sales uplift for the 12 weeks to 27 January.
With Veganuary and new year fitness kicks encouraging consumers to eat more healthily, Kantar Worldpanel found that sales of fruit, vegetables and salad rose by £46m compared to January 2018.
With overall grocery sales up 1.7% on the same period last year, Kantar found that cucumbers, carrots and berries were particularly popular with consumers: with sales growing by 26%, 22% and 13% respectively.
In terms of market share, the picture was a familiar one, with Aldi and Lidl continuing to grow. The discounters’ combined grocery market share now totals 12.8%, comfortably ahead of Morrisons’ 10.6% and chasing down Britain’s third largest supermarket Asda on 15.3%.
Kantar also found the Co-op continuing to enjoy solid growth, as the only multiple apart from the discounters to gain market share over the 12-week period: seeing an additional 346,000 consumers visiting its stores.
Nielsen also recorded strong results for the Co-op, finding that it grew its sales by 2.8% for the 12 weeks until 26 January compared to the year before.
Nielsen also found fresh produce up 1.5%, while sales of free from products were up 17% on last year.
Mike Watkins, Nielsen’s UK head of retailer insight, said: “The increase in grocery spend in the fresh and frozen food categories are a testament to evolving shopping trends.”
