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Budget stores suffer as shoppers raise sights
24.06.09
The "Aldi Effect" could be ending as green shoots emerge in the economy.
Figures today suggested recession-bound shoppers who had been flocking to budget supermarkets Lidl and Aldi were now returning to more upmarket rivals like Sainsbury and Waitrose.
Analysts pounced on the survey of the last three months' trading from respected research group TNS Worldpanel, saying it showed people were now feeling confident enough to increase their budget on the weekly food shop.
The stellar growth at Lidl and Aldi, whose sales were up 13% and more over the recession-bound winter, fell back to 7.5% and 8.7% respectively.
Takings at Sainsbury's and Morrisons rose by around 9%. Waitrose managed a 7% bounceback from a lowly 1.2% in the first three months of the year.
Tesco posted its highest growth this year, at 6.2%.
