// Lidl posts strong Christmas sales
// Over the four weeks to December 29, sales grew 11%
// It saw its busiest trading day ever on December 23
Lidl has reported the highest sales growth in the grocery sector over the Christmas period thanks to its wine and cheese sales.
Over the four weeks to December 29, overall sales at the German discounter increased 11 per cent compared to the same period in 2018.
It saw its busiest trading day ever on December 23, with customers stocking up ahead of Christmas Eve.
READ MORE:
Lidl’s wine sales grew faster than any other retailer, with a year-on-year increase of 20 per cent.
The grocer’s wider beers, wines and spirits range had a growth of 13 per cent year-on-year, accompanied by its festive cheese selection which saw a 55 per cent growth.
Shoppers also continued to switch spend away from other supermarkets, including Aldi, with £110 million spent at Lidl instead in the lead up to Christmas.
The discounter also bucked the trend for the sector general merchandise sales, recording an overall sales increase of nine per cent.
“This was our 25th Christmas since first opening our doors in Britain, and what a Christmas it’s been, with more customers shopping at Lidl than ever before,” Lidl chief executive Christian Härtnagel said.
“We continued to open our doors to more communities across the country, which has no doubt contributed to our success.
“However, the number of customers switching to us in the lead up to Christmas shows the continued appeal of the Lidl offer.”
Lidl also continued to invest in its store portfolio during the festive period, creating new jobs.
This forms part of the supermarket’s £1.45 billion investment in its expansion across the UK in 2019 and 2020 and its target of 1000 shops by the end of 2023.
“After more than doubling our market share over the past ten years, we’re excited to be entering a new decade and all the potential it brings for us,” Härtnagel said.
“Our promise to customers will always be to provide the best quality at the lowest prices and we look forward to delivering this to even more households across the country in 2020 and beyond.”
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette’s free daily email newsletter
