Supermarkets with the highest performing Christmas sales in the UK were Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury’s and market leader Tesco, according to data published by Kantar.
Analysts also believe Marks and Spencer to have performed well, but it was not included in Kantar’s monthly data set.
The retailer reported that sales of price-locked products were up 28% in Q3, reflecting a strong performance.
The research said that over the 12 weeks to 24 December, Sainsbury’s sales were up 9.3% year-on-year, pushing its market share to 15.8%, its highest since December 2020.
Tesco sales rose 7.5% and its market share edged up to 27.6%.
The retailer reported a six-week Christmas like-for-like sales increase of 6.8%, including growth of 9.2% in the four weeks before Christmas.
Kantar recorded Lidl’s sales growth at 13.8% and Aldi’s at 9.9%, increasing their combined market share to 17%.
Lidl and Aldi on Tuesday reported their own sales growth of 12% and 8% respectively for December.
All-Time High
According to the head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, Fraser McKevitt, the rate of inflation is lowering “at the fastest pace we have ever recorded”.
However, McKevitt noted that, despite this, “Consumers are still facing pretty hefty pressures on their budgets.”
Sales measured by volume, or the number of items bought, rose 2% over the four weeks measured.
The researcher said the average household spent an all-time high of £477 in the period, up £28 on 2022.
Nearly one third of all spend was made on items with some kind of offer, the highest level since December 2020.
Kantar also noted an especially strong performance from supermarkets’ own label lines, with sales of premium ranges such as Tesco Finest surging by 11.9% over the 12-week period compared with last year.
Branded sales rose 6% in the same period.
Online retailers’ share of the market held steady at 11.6%.
