'Biggest Christmas' as shoppers flock to stores for deals: NIQ

UK stores saw record sales during Christmas this year with shoppers were seen flocking to bricks and mortar stores spending £14.6 billion, majorly focusing on deals and discounts, shows recent data released today (7).

According to NIQ Christmas 2024 Flash report, after a slow start, it was the biggest ever Christmas over the three weeks to Dec 28 2024 with shoppers spending £14.6 billion, a growth of 3 per cent vs the previous year.

Over the full 4 weeks the market grew by 3.2 per cent.

The highest level of promotions in three years this Christmas with 27 per cent of sales purchased on deal driven by brands at 37 per cent.

Shoppers searched out savings at bricks and mortar stores with visits to store up by 8 per cent. This came at the expense of online with online share falling to 11.9 per cent from 12.5 per cent a year ago.

Discounters were fast growing with market share up to 16.3 per cent up from 15.8 per cent a year ago.

This comes a day after discounter Aldi reported its "best Christmas ever" figure.

Aldi’s total sales rose 3.4 per cent year-on-year, reaching over £1.6bn. While this is a notable achievement, Lidl again outpaced Aldi with a 7 per cent growth during the same period due to its lower prices on key products.

Aldi’s success was fueled by customers trading up to its premium own-label products, with its Specially Selected range experiencing a 12 per cent increase in sales year-on-year.

Aldi responded to evolving consumer preferences by expanding this range to include less traditional meats like goose and duck and seafood dishes like lobster and salmon.

As pointed out by Aliyah Siddika, Retail Analyst at GlobalData, Aldi also successfully broadened its vegan and vegetarian options during the holiday season, appealing to diverse consumers with varying dietary needs and preferences.

"This expansion allowed customers to conveniently cater to all guests for parties or gatherings in one shopping trip. Aldi also introduced new products into its Specially Selected party food range, with wagyu appetisers, bao buns, and prawn toast.

"The Specially Selected range appealed to customers seeking high-quality, innovative products at affordable prices, as these premium products remained cheaper than similar products from its mid-market competitors."

Additionally, Aldi effectively marketed its British products, recognising the increasing demand for these food items during the holiday season.

Aldi experienced robust sales of its British products, including 350,000 fresh British turkeys, over 400 tonnes of British beef, and nearly three million British Brussels sprouts. By focusing on product sourcing throughout the year, Aldi can continue to attract customers and expand its customer base by enhancing perceptions of product quality.