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Iceland sales drop but chain keeps market share [Western Mail (Wales)](Western Mail (Wales) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) FROZEN?FOOD supermarket group Iceland has suSered its rst drop in sales since 2005, according to the latest till-roll gures from Kantar Worldpanel. e North Wales-based business suSered a 0.3% decline in sales for the 12 weeks ending July 20. It did, however, retain its 2% market share. Britain's largest supermarket Tesco suSered its worst sales decline in at least two decades, while discount rivals achieve more record trade. Tesco's sales fell 3.8%, according to the Kantar Worldpanel gures. is was the steepest decline since it began comparable records in 1994, as the chain's market share fell to 28.9% from 30.3% a year ago. Big four rival Morrisons also saw its sales fall 3.8% in the 12 weeks ended July 20, leading its market share to slip to 11% from 11.5%, as low industry in'ation kept sector growth to a 10-year low. But discount supermarkets Aldi and Lidl made record sales as price competition in the sector weighed heaviest on the country's big four players. Sales at German discounter Aldi rocketed 32% over the year taking its market share to a record 4.8%, just behind upmarket Waitrose. Rival German low cost business Lidl saw its sales leap 19.5%, which kept the rm's market share at its record level of 3.6%. Sainsbury's sales grew 1.2% to maintain its market share at 16.6%, while Asda grew 0.9%, which kept its market share at 17%. e Kantar data also showed that grocery price in'ation fell for the tenth quarter in a row to 0.4%, due to price competition and the de'ation of staples such as vegetables, milk and bread. e research body said in'ation in the sector was at the lowest level since October 2006. Low levels of in'ation left industry growth at just 0.9%, the lowest level for a decade. Last week Tesco ousted chief executive Phil Clarke and announced its second prot warning in two years after it said trading was "more challenging than we anticipated". Mr Clarke will be replaced by Unilever executive Dave Lewis on October 1. Edward Garner, director at Kantar Worldpanel said: "Aldi's 32% growth rate has lifted its market share to 4.8%; this is a new record for the retailer and means it has nearly caught up with Waitrose on 4.9%. Similarly, Lidl sales have grown by nearly 20% and it has held onto its record share of 3.6%. Waitrose has continued to resist pressure from the competition, testament to its policy of maximum diSerentiation, and has grown sales by 3.4%." (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |