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TESCO, SUPERVALU and Dunnes are all vying for bragging rights as Ireland’s favourite supermarket chain coming into the key Christmas shopping period.
New consumer spending figures for the 12 weeks to early November showed UK import Tesco has dropped to its lowest share of the grocery market in years from its previous perch as the clear market leader.
The SuperValu chain has been sniffing at its heels as Ireland’s most popular supermarket brand, while Dunnes Stores also recorded a strong lift in trade when compared to the same time last year.
The latest findings from Kantar Worldpanel Ireland showed Tesco had 24.9% of the total grocery market – down from nearly 30% two years ago – while SuperValu had 24.5% and Dunnes 23.5%.
SuperValu has enjoyed a big boost from its buyout of the Superquinn chain, particularly in increasing its reach across the Dublin region.
Meanwhile, the onward march of German outlets Aldi and Lidl continues with both posting double-digit increases in their trade on the equivalent period in 2013.
The hot competition has led to a virtual advertising war breaking out between the big players with Tesco, Aldi and Lidl all recently sinking huge cash into their marketing campaigns in Ireland.
‘Intense’ competition for shoppers’ cash
Overall, the Irish grocery market grew 1.1% compared to last year’s figures, which Kantar’s commercial director David Berry said was in “stark contrast” to the UK market which had been shrinking for the first time on record.
“Competition in the market is intensifying as the battle to be the number one grocer wages on,” he said.
The top three retailers are separated by less than 1.5% share – a record narrow divide at the top of the market. There really is all to play for among the big retailers as the critically important Christmas period approaches.”
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Aldi and Lidl for me. Can get far more quality produce there for my money compared to Tesco, Dunnes or SuperValu
The three bigger stores have been robbing Irish customers for years. I try to avoid them as much as possible. I’m also sick of their bad customer service and misleading pricing.
The staff in my local super valu have to be the friendliest I have ever come across
Ill 2nd that. The staff in my supervalu are really friendly also
I love the great value in lidl & Aldi bit hate the silent shopping ( torture when uve small children.. My youngest once sang twinkle twinkle the whole way around the shop!)
Also hate the high pressure scanning & being expected to repack everything twice at the till! No customer service.
You put your groceries in your trolley and pack them at the packing shelf behind the till. It’s not rocket science.
I find it depends on where you live in terms of your Supervalu. Different owners have different standards. Personally our own stores are very well kept and the service is excellent. Obviously some stores offer poor service and quality but that’s across all the major grocers.
Bray is the best
Find Supervalu and Tesco too expensive to shop in. I like the Supervalu shop but it wouldnt be possible for me to do my weeks shopping there. So, I use the others somewhat reluctantly
Lidl and Aldi are depressing. Tesco too.
Am I the only one suprised by Aldi & Lidl’s share? I thought it would have beem a good bit higher
As far as I can tell, the figures are based on % of value not volume. If you’re 20-30% cheaper than someone your sales value will be a similar amount lower than them on the same sales volume.
It’s only a two horse race to who’s the biggest supermarket on the block, and they both hail from Germany.
Between the time they open and closing time their car parks are as good as to capacity. They’ll slay the rest of them this Christmas. Just watch.
There will always be a sizable portion of the market that simply won’t step foot in these stores.
True. Lidls Deluxe range for Christmas is outstanding value for money. I got a jar of pheasant pate with truffle oil for €1.49 at the weekend and it was delish. Full lobsters only €7 and this year they’ve added to their range of premium meat, they now have fillet of wild boar and kangaroo steaks, all for cheap prices. Their goose fat roast potatoes are to die for. Amazing value, superb prices.
Oh of course. No doubt about that. But even looking at my own locality that’s dwindling. Both Lidl and Aldi are opening second stores to cope with the custom their getting.
A little tedious? For years their board referred Ireland as “treasure Ireland” making so much money that they refuse to release the vast profits they were making from the Irish people and food suppliers. Instead they hide their Irish profits under their uk accounts and still do.
This comment was meant as a response to Denis silver defending Tesco..
I’m prepared to be bought by any of the top three. Who wants me? – SHOW ME HOW MUCH YOU WANT ME.
the devil would not take u
Morks and Sporks and nothing less for me darling
Lidl and Aldi good value but depressing shops and the checkout is a nightmare.Rushed.
At this stage it’s a little bit tedious that Tesco still has UK import as their name.Tesco Ireland has been going for years,they employ a lot of people here and keep a fair few irish suppliers in business.They also treat Irish suppliers better than any other supermarket chain here from my experience. Have you not moved on from Brit bashing.
But all profits are repatriated to Cheshunt, England.
Where the profits are repatriated to isn’t important in the grand scheme of things. It’s the amount brought in by jobs and spin-off business for suppliers etc that counts.
Hi Denis, I don’t think calling Tesco a “UK import” is Brit-bashing, any more than calling Aldi and Lidl “German outlets” is German-bashing – I’m simply stating where the parent company is from. All the supermarkets support local jobs and suppliers, and no-one’s suggesting any of them shouldn’t be operating in Ireland.
Tesco are in trouble financially partly for their dodgy supplier management practices; they were delaying supplier bonuses and also introducing extra charges to the supplier after the deals were agreed e.g. they would change labelling requirements and ask the supplier to foot this bill. Now to be fair, most large supermarkets in the UK and Ireland have the same practices, and the supplier has to suck it up if they want their products in the shops.
Where do Aldi and Lidl’s profits go to Sheldon, please enlighten us??
#AgingLothario. Germany. What’s your point?
#NealIrelandHello. On the contrary, where the profits are repatriated to matters most in the grand scheme of things. This is Ireland’s problem. We think small. “Sure we’re just happy to have a few jobs, that’ll do us”. All the while millions of Euros worth of grocery money leaves Ireland for Britain and Germany every year. We give it away. They get richer and we get poorer. I mean, it’s not rocket science. Why do we need foreign supermarkets to sell us our own food in our own country anyway? Why can’t we aim a little bigger and operate successful Irish supermarkets (whose profits remain in this economy) that support Irish jobs, Irish suppliers etc? Is that really too much for us to aim for?
The point is that you just pigeon-holed Tesco, when at the end of the day all of the major Supermarkets with the probable exception of Supervalu, repatriate their profits to their country of origin.
Are Dunnes not an Irish company who ripped us off for years and don’t even publish their profits. Supervalu are also Irish, yet they to would also be at the expensive end of the market, so sadly you need foreign companies to come in and shake the market up, Having indigenous companies is a laudable idea, but the Irish shopping market would be very poor and expensive were it just made up of Irish owned companies.
#Lothario. I agree. A part of the problem is the Irish business-owner’s inclination to rip his/her customers off if unchecked. We are our own worst enemy at times. I should rephrase and say it’s a pity we can’t we aim to have a naturally ethical and fair Irish supermarket that’s successful and that supports Irish jobs, Irish suppliers etc.
Very friendly staff in my local SuperValue , that’s about it. Prices on par with tesco. Hasn’t a patch on Lidl or Aldi.
SuperValue is a complete rip off
Brutal figures for tesco… Guess they’re reaping what they sow with inflated prices and poor quality merchandise….
Apart from meats, Dunnes are the best quality and good prices when compared to the others.
Pity they consistently shaft their staff & refuse to cooperate with the Labour Court and Mandate but anyway…
with you Rocket they have so many casual workers its unbelievable and their prices are going up every week
That should be a I agree with you Rocket
You can’t best the local corner shop…
Time to bring back something like Green Shield Stamps!, The coupons offered at the moment are a ripoff!
Ranelagh and Breamor road are the best Marion Rd too cluttered hard to find anything but love these stores and Lidl.
have your say