Sainsbury Returns to Sales Growth After Seven-Month Slump

By Ian Walker

LONDON--J. Sainsbury PLC (SBRY.LN) has seen sales growth for the first time since last August in the 12 weeks to March 29, helping to slow down the fall in its market share, according to a survey Wednesday.

Sales at Sainsbury, the third-largest U.K. supermarket retailer by market share, rose 0.2% on the year to 4.14 billion pounds ($6.16 billion) in the period, although its market share fell to 16.4% from 16.5%, according to Kantar, which monitors the household grocery purchasing habits of 25,000 demographically representative households in the U.K.

The country's largest supermarket Tesco PLC (TSCO.LN) again grew sales in the period, following its strongest performance in 18 months in the previous 12-week period. Sales for the 12 weeks to March 29 rose 0.3% to GBP7.19 billion, although its market share slipped to 28.4% from 28.6%.

German retailers Aldi and Lidl, as well as upmarket retailer Waitrose, continued to grow market share in the 12-week period. Aldi and Lidl's joint share rose to 9% from 8%. Separately Aldi's market share rose to 5.3% from 4.6%, while Lidl's share rose to 3.7% from 3.4%.

Waitrose market share rose to 5.1%, from 5.0%.

Asda, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), saw its market share slip to 17.1% from 17.4%, according to Kantar, while Wm Morrisons Supermarkets PLC's (MRW.LN) market share fell to 10.9% from 11.1%.

"The changing structure of Britain's supermarket landscape is illustrated by two facts. Firstly, the so-called discounters Aldi and Lidl now command a combined 9.0% share of the market. In 2012 the same two retailers only accounted for 5.4% of grocery sales. Secondly, the 72.8% share taken by the biggest four retailers is now at the lowest level in a decade," said Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel.

Write to Ian Walker at [e-mail]

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires