Supermarket Market Share in UK and Australia

A list of Supermarkets and the market share of each of them in late 2009.

The above UK data was from wikipedia.org which quoted that the “Big Four” had a combined share of 75.6 percent of the UK grocery market in the 12 weeks ending 1 November 2009.

Australian Supermarkets Market Share

There are two sets of figures for supermarket market share in Australia, the common one that is used relates to the market share of all packaged groceries.

Australian Supermarkets Market Share of Packaged Groceries

The next one relates to ALL food and grocery spending, possibly more closely linked to the UK figures ?.

Australian Supermarkets Market Share of All Groceries

Major chain grocery retail market shares (all food and grocery spending) 1997/98 (with 2009-10 figures to be added when located)

In 2009 the break-up of the of the Australian grocery sales channels (2) was:

• 68% Supermarkets
• 23% Specialist grocery retailers
• 9% Convenience & forecourts retailers

Of that 68%, this was divided up as follows:

2006-07 Estimated market share figures for take-home food and grocery retailers

Source PDF Document submission at www.accc.gov.au

Some Australian articles on the Market share definitions:

• http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/retail_ctte/report/c04.htm (1)
• http://www.narga.net.au/documents/2010/NARGA_lowres_web.pdf (2)

A little more research on statistics and totals, with figures shown below, can show how easily real information can be distorted.

Taking a few of the figures below we get:

• Total Industry Revenue of $75.7 billion
• Woolworths share of that is $51.96 billion
• Coles share was $29.7 billion.

So Woolworths and Coles have 108% of the total market between them. Then we add on ALDI with their 3% share, and we are up to 111%.  Then add on the 19.9% for IGA, and we hit 130.9%. We haven’t looked at Foodworks and all the other smaller stores yet.

Then we can look at some figures from the stock market reports

• Woolworths have 46.5474% of the Consumer Staple sector
• Wesfarmers have 48.4128% of the Consumer Staple sector

That is 94.96% between them.

This all proves one thing… what we may see is not always truly what really is.

Supermarkets and Other Grocery Stores in Australia

2010 Industry Revenue $75,761.9 million http://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry/default.aspx?indid=1834

Woolworths Ltd net profit increased 10.1% to $2.02 billion for the year to June 30, 2010 on revenue up 4.2% to $51.96 billion. http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Woolworths-profit-up-10-to-202b-700-million-buybac-8P57P?OpenDocument

Wesfarmers Ltd says sales from the Coles supermarket division increased 4.3% to $29.7 billion during the year to June 30, 2010. Sales were made up of $23.5 billion from the Food & Liquor division, up 5.6%, and $6.2 billion from the convenience division, down 0.4%. http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Wesfarmers-Coles-sales-up-43-to-297bn-7QEJU?OpenDocument&src=mp

ALDI 2009 current market share of 3 per cent.
http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2009/01/21/aldi-plans-to-double-market-share-push-store-numbers-past-400.html

IGA. Market share for the independently owned IGA supermarkets that Metcash supplied had expanded to 19.9 per cent. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/industry-sectors/metcash-profit-spikes-as-iga-chain-lifts-market-share/story-e6frg9h6-1225874071023

Woolworths (WOW) has a strong market share, 30% of the Australian food, liquor and grocery market. http://www.investsmart.com.au/shares/asx/Woolworths-WOW.asp
Market Statistics
% of Market: 2.3486
% of Sector: 46.5474
Sector: Consumer Staple
Industry Group: Food & Staples Retailing
Industry: Food & Staples Retailing

Wesfarmers Limited (WES) including Coles. http://www.investsmart.com.au/shares/asx/Wesfarmers-WES.asp
Market Statistics
% of Market: 2.8179
% of Sector: 48.4128
Sector: Consumer Staple
Industry Group: Food & Staples Retailing
Industry: Food & Staples Retailing