Lidl has reported its strongest UK Christmas trading period, with sales rising by 7 per cent year-on-year in the four weeks to 24 December, surpassing the Ā£1 billion milestone for the first time.
Two million more shoppers visited its stores during the festive season, lured by cut-price champagne and an āaffordableā party food range, which saw sales jump by almost a third.
The German-owned grocer revealed a 25 per cent rise in champagne sales, the equivalent of 11 million glasses poured, while British turkeys remained a favourite, selling at a rate of one every second. Customers also snapped up 16 million pigs in blankets, 8 million stuffing balls and 2 million litres of gravy.
Ryan McDonnell, Lidl GBās chief executive, said the retailerās blend of āunbeatable quality and valueā had drawn more shoppers than ever, adding that the company would ābuild on our momentumā through continued store openings and competitive pricing.
Lidlās market share has continued to climb as rising living costs push consumers to seek value. Industry analysts at Kantar recently named Lidl as the countryās fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar grocer, edging closer to Morrisonsā position as the UKās fifth largest supermarket.
Although it represents slower growth than the 12 per cent increase recorded over the same period a year ago ā when inflation on food and drink was more pronounced ā Lidlās performance stands out as many shoppers have reined in supermarket spending to focus on smaller indulgences such as beauty and entertainment products.
The supermarket sector will face further scrutiny in the coming week, as Sainsburyās and Marks & Spencer unveil their festive figures. Meanwhile, the British Retail Consortium has warned of a potential āspending squeezeā in January, with consumer confidence taking a hit towards the end of the year.
