14 Mar 2008


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Supermarkets more popular than ever for non-food


Non-food

More people than ever before in the UK are shopping at supermarkets for non-food items, according to new research from Verdict Consulting.

Supermarkets are growing their non-food share

More than 62% of all shoppers regularly use supermarkets to buy non-food items, collectively spending over £19.7bn, the study says.

The numbers have risen sharply over the past five years compared to five years ago, when only 45% used grocers for non-food, collectively spending £13.3bn.

Supermarkets now account to 11% of the of the £177bn UK non-food market.

Shoppers using supermarkets for non-food 2008
Showing percentage point change from 2003

All non-food 62.1% +17.0%
Personal care 44.2% +12.5%
Homewares 20.4% +10.7%
Clothing 20.3% +8.9%
Music and video 19.9% +5.4%
Electricals 11.4% +6.6%
Footwear 7.4% +4.2%
DIY 1.9% +0.7%

Source: Verdict Consulting

“What the grocers offer is convenience with very competitive prices”, said Neil Saunders, Verdict's director of consulting.

“For the time-pressed, cost-conscious consumer it is a great advantage to be able to pick up good priced clothing or electrical items at the same time as doing a food shop.”

Squeeze on specialists
The growth of the grocers in non-food has increased pressure on traditional specialist retailers, Verdict said.

The grocers' growth rates in most non-food categories has been faster than the growth of the market as a whole, meaning they are taking market share from other players.

Asda is the UK's fifth largest clothing retailer while Tesco is the ninth. Both players now have more regular clothing customers than well established chains like Bhs, Gap and H&M.

In personal care, all of the big four grocers (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons) have larger market shares than health and beauty specialist Superdrug.

By 2012, Verdict predicts grocers' sales of non-food could be £24.4bn – 24% higher than currently.

Growth will be driven by premiumisation and internet channels.

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