Aldi leaps Waitrose as UK’s sixth largest grocer

Aldi is now sixth largest in the UK. Picture: Getty

The German-owned retailer achieved a 5.3 per cent market share in the 12 weeks to 29 March in the latest till roll figures from Kantar Worldpanel, after boosting sales 16.8 per cent during the period.

This beats Waitrose, which had been the sixth largest grocer, which saw sales lift 2.9 per cent to claim a 5.1 per cent market share.

In a mixed bag for the big four supermarkets, Tesco continued to make gains under a turnaround by new boss Dave Lewis, seeing sales grow 0.3 per cent to give it a 28.4 per cent share, while Sainsbury’s lifted sales 0.2 per cent to a 16.4 per cent market share.

But Asda saw its sales fall 1.1 per cent to give it a share of 17.1 per cent, while sales at Morrisons fell 0.7 per cent to a 10.9 per cent market share.

Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, said: “Aldi has recorded double-digit sales growth for the past four years and is now Britain’s sixth largest supermarket.”

The figures came as family-run bakery group Dean’s said it secured a “six-figure” deal to supply Aldi stores in the UK and Ireland with its shortbread and oat biscuit products.