J Sainsbury Market Share Rises for Fourth Consecutive Month - Kantar

By Ian Walker

LONDON--J Sainsbury PLC's (SBRY.LN) market share rose for the fourth consecutive month on the trot, boosted by Paralympics sponsorship, Brand Match and own-label investment, and was once again the only one of the U.K.'s four big supermarkets to grow market share in the latest 12 weeks.

However, outside the top four, discount retailers Aldi and Lidl and up-market retailer Waitrose also increased market share in the 12 weeks, according to the latest data from Kantar, which monitors the grocery purchasing habits of 25,000 demographically representative U.K. households.

Sainsbury's market share rose to 16.8% in the 12 weeks ended Oct. 28, from 16.4%, and Waitrose's market share rose to 4.7%, from 4.5%. Aldi and Lidl's joint market share rose to 5.7%, from 4.9%. Separately, Aldi's share rose to 3% from 2.4% and Lidl's share rose to 2.7%, from 2.5%.

Asda, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), saw its U.K. market share fall to 17.5%, from 17.6% compared with the same period a year earlier. Stripping out Netto, which it bought in April last year, Asda's market share was unchanged at 17.5%.

Tesco PLC (TSCO.LN) continues to experience pressure on its market share, falling to 30.5% in the 12 weeks ended Oct. 28 from 31% in the 12 weeks ended Oct. 30, 2011, while Morrison's share fell to 11.5%, from 12%.

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