The popularity of Discounters shows no signs of slowing down, with three-quarters (75%) of grocery shoppers claiming to shop in a Discounter once a month or more often. However, what is maybe even more telling in regard to their popularity, is the increase in usage for both Aldi and Lidl amongst those visiting these stores once a month or more often. 1 in 3 (33%) Aldi monthly plus shoppers claim they are shopping more in Aldi than they were this time last year, with just over a quarter (27%) of Lidl monthly plus shoppers claiming the same to be true.
Empathy Research identified this behaviour across a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+ on behalf of Retail Intelligence, shining a light on how Discounter popularity is manifesting itself across shoppers. The biggest gains for Aldi have come amongst the much sought-after 25-34 age group, with 41% of them claiming they are shopping more in Aldi than a year ago. Regionally, the biggest gains for Aldi are evident in Munster (38%). Lidl too is gaining traction with this 25-34-year-old cohort, as 39% of Lidl monthly plus shoppers in this category have increased their year-on-year usage.
Furthermore, Discounter popularity has yet to be significantly impacted by an increase in any disposable income in the pockets of consumers. Just over 1 in 10 (11%) grocery shoppers claim to have reduced their frequency of shopping in Discounters now that they have a bit more money in their pockets – with 6 in 10 (59%) grocery shoppers disagreeing with this statement. Interestingly, monthly plus shoppers of Tesco, SuperValu and Dunnes Stores all have the same level of disagreement to this statement (59%), stating they have not reduced their frequency of shopping in Discounter stores due to an improved financial standing.
For further information and analysis in relation to the continuing popularity of Discounters, including what products customers are not willing to buy in Discounters, and ratings of Discounters vs. other Supermarkets across key attributes, please contact Declan O’Reilly at Empathy Research.
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