Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
tis the seasonALL IRELAND’S MAJOR supermarket chains enjoyed a bumper Christmas – but SuperValu was the company that cemented its place as the new number-one player in the grocery game.
The Musgrave-owned network of stores commanded more than 25% of the total grocery market during the 12 weeks to 3 January, according to the latest figures from analysts Kantar Worldpanel Ireland.
SuperValu’s sales were up in value by 4.3% compared to the same period in 2014-15, when Tesco was still the most successful supermarket chain in the country.
The UK-headquartered retailer this year commanded 24.6% of the market – down from 25.4% 12 months earlier – with its sales increased only a slim 0.1% on last year’s Christmas tally.
Overall, the data showed consumers were opening their purses and wallets wider in the crucial shopping period.
Sales across all grocers were up 3.5% on last year with the only decline coming from the smaller chains.
Kantar Worldpanel director David Berry said the period was the most important season for grocery retailers and this year sales were up €77 million across all stores.
This is a clear sign of increased consumer confidence as shoppers worry less about what they’re spending,” he said.
Lidl was the biggest winner with the German chain’s sales up 11.6%, giving it a slightly larger proportion of shoppers’ business than rival Aldi.
Dunnes also posted a strong gain in sales value, which Kantar Worldpanel put down to the supermarket’s continued ability to pull in people doing the “big shop”.
First published 11.30am
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Supervalue is expensive !
It is but in fairness they do support local producers.
Yeah they do support local but their prices are way to high, I for one would never shop in a supervalue because value is defo what you won’t be getting
I work in livestock farming & the likes of aldi, lidl & supervalue only buy local at a price so low the profit is small & there is no negotiation with them it is take it lose it. Have to say though both tesco & dunns are at least willing to up there prices when the market is in the bin the way it is now.
“Up their prices” is right. … Dunnes take a c 16% price across a whole range of items every year in January (check out their fresh meat prices) and Tesco, who have been very competitive of late, were taking >20% increases in some items since the New Year (Quaker Oats So Simple Golden Syrup Porridge 10 X 36G – up 70c to €4.15 today) a 20% increase and don’t say it’s Sterling as the exchange rate has been roughly the same since the Summer. We also had bumper cereal crops last year, so cheaper raw materials.
Jane __ They all support local suppliers, but SuperValu have somehow persuaded people that they’re the only ones doing it.
I agree Richard I would never shop in Aldi or Lidl for that reason, didn’t realise Super Value were the same, I wish growers and farmers would sell to the public and cut out the middleman.
Selectively, when they feel like it, and add 25% to the price for central billing and a 15% uplift for the “privilege” of buying/selling from them…they GOUGE small producers in a way no foreign company would get away with. Don’t be fooled by the pretty marketing hype…they’ve hacked the retail market to bits here.
Brendan Supervalue offers good value products each week I for one do not see how they can make a profit the prices are so low but then again perhaps the reduction is paid for on other products this is why you need to do your homework to go shopping lol and act accordingly.
Super value is expensive… And?
There’s a variety of segments and price points in the market. Not everyone wants to shop in the cheapest bargain basement supermarket. Cheapest doesn’t always mean best value for everyone. Some people want convenience, more variety of product brands/sizes, higher quality, more speciality/ethnic foods, fresher produce, nicer stores, less crowded, more help/staff…
The reason the big supermarkets in the UK and Ireland are failing is they’re all trying to be the same nasty, cheap, get them in and out approach. It’s a race to the bottom…
Sainsbury’s is the only one in the UK and Supervalue the only one in Ireland not loosing market share, because it’s still holding out at a slightly better standard than the other two/three and M&S food is going from strength to strength. The others continue to fall.
@Drew then how do you explain the market share increase with the budget supermarkets? Lidl and Aldi are gaining market share at the expense of tesco/ sainsburys/ asda. Which would suggest people are happy with the ”nasty, cheap, in and out approach.”
I’m sure SOME people are…
That’s why my comment opens with there’s a variety of market segments and price points.
Their marketshare is being eroded at both the top and the bottom. Loosing premium and budget consumers.
Its interesting, could it be a reflection of a growing class ‘gap’, ‘rich/poor divide? Traditionally ‘ middle of the road’ markets losing out as their customers get wealthier or poorer.
If Lidl bothered their German holes opening up more than one till, I’d be more inclined to shop there. Nobody needs to spend half the poxy day queuing to hand over money.
Or, being alerted to the fact and despite a series of complaints, persist in putting bread out on the shelves that’s still frozen solid on the inside.
‘despite being alerted…’
Their fruit and veg are half rotten too….ok for dry goods but limited range, which is why they are so cheap.
Oh and don’t start me on the “Irish” fish that goes to eastern Europe to be packaged….!!
yes the disdain they hold for their customers is palpable:( I am coming from the Fergal Quinn school of Crowning the Customer you see.
Laura Farrell I love that tv or is it radio advertisement that questions “Ballykeelyballygobackwrds” lol tell me where that is again joke:)
Irish people should support Irish products Irish jobs and family run outlets then we will find prosperity again
Supervalu are expensive but theyve a much better range than any other supermarket.
I’d say their pricing is more consistent and have genuine value at the meat counter along with good meat. Tesco meat, particularly beef, isn’t great and the fruit and veg prices can swing wildly
My biggest gripe with Supervalu is the fraudulent lies about “Special Offers” – they advertise great price promotions on say , Rib Eye Steak but you have to get it from their butcher at the meat counter. OK ! I’ve gone so many times, even as early as the store opening time and been told the offer has been sold out. One SV Butcher told me they only carry about 10 – 12 units of any deal per store and that the staff take them all before the store opens. i.e. NO Consumer can EVER get the Special Offer.
Expensive it is Seamus and we all know you don’t like paying for things. Did you ever pay those substantial rent arrears??
Support your local Craft butcher
SuperValu took over Superquinn and made a ‘Joe Mollix’ of it. They destroyed an iconic brand for the sake of market share. The Superquinn class and high standards are well and truly gone.
The Superquinn standards were gone LONG before Supervalu took over..the previous owners tried to turn it into something it wasn’t and it failed miserably, lost alot of its flare, competitiveness and customers. It wasn’t the company Fergal Quinn set up. Personally, I think Musgraves/Supervalu have started to return them to the way it was back in the day, it’s actually much more pleasant place to shop in now…
Maybe if SuperValu and Tesco put the correct price under the product and stop doing end of isle scams, we might see the correct figures, they remind me of Woodies DIY store where you have to match the barcode on a product and the price tag to make sure its right. Last time i was in Super Valu they had a offer on Taco Shells, something like €1.50 for a box of 12, good value but they actually had the offer placed under the Tack dinner kit, which was €4.00, i only spotted it because i only had a few items at checkout, if i had a trolley full of items, well it would be a different story. I have seem this so many times in Super Valu it has become the norm, so much so i avoid the place.
Wtf id never go near super value. Way too expensive. Aldi all day long!!!
I don’t have a local Supervalu so over Christmas I shopped in the Lucan branch and was pleasantly surprised, the bakery at the entrance provides delicious bread and cakes and such variety, the salad bar was amazing , the fish and meat counter had great meat offers , the cold meat counter was a little disappointing, not enough variety in cooked meats and some meat bundles looked a little tired, the fresh foods were plentiful and really fresh and there were good offers on beers/stout for the festive season and the bill came in just as I had budgeted for, so you can shop around and get some nice delicious groceries, just keep an eye out for special offers, will definitely shop there again.
SuperValu, never again,not after what was found in an item bought in it.
Care to elaborate? Or just speculate?
Did you get a crap toy in a Kinder egg??
Lidl shopping for me.Great variety of good quality goods.
Most of Lidl’s goods are packaged like laundry detergent. Do love their bakery section though.
Nothing to do with consumer confidence its because sterling is so strong on the border Counties less people are going in to N Ireland and more people are coming out to the Republic shopping in fact i thought it should have been more than 3.5 percent
Would never shop in dunnes,they have a long history of bullying and trampling over workers
have your say