// Sainsbury’s shoppers returned to stores in their droves over Christmas
// The grocer’s CEO Simon Roberts said customers prefer to shop in store as it helps them find better deals
Sainsbury’s saw a dramatic uplift in store visits over Christmas as shoppers shunned online amid Royal Mail strikes and scoured shops for the best deals.
The grocer, which posted a 7.1% sales jump over Christmas, said online grocery sales were down over 10% over the period as a result of the shift back to stores.
At Argos, “walk-in” visits in the week before Christmas jumped 50% as Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts said customers wanted certainty they would get their Christmas presents amid delivery delays across the wider market due to the Royal Mail strike.
There was a surge in shoppers opting click-and-collect, which jumped from 40% to 50% of sales over the period.
The cost-of-living crisis also played a role in the trend as shoppers avoided delivery fees.
Roberts added: “Customers were careful where spent their money. They prefered to come in and see what they are buying and see the deals and offers. It’s easier to do that when you go into a shop and see it all.”
The grocer also said the move away from online was stimulated by shopping habits normalising as some shoppers who embraced ecommerce during the pandemic return to stores.
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Trading down
Sainsbury’s also witnessed a 10% rise in sales of own-brand products as shoppers “made choices to make their budgets go further”, according to Roberts.
“There’s no getting away from the fact that customers are looking for strong value.”
“Customers shopped early for Christmas and took advantage of Black Friday and other seasonal offers.”
Despite this, Sainsbury’s premium Taste the Difference sales jumped 10% year on year, and 27% against pre-pandemic levels.
“Shoppers were trading into private label so can use some budget to treat themselves,” explained Roberts.
