FROZEN BURGER SALES have fallen by 42 per cent in the wake of the horsemeat scandal, according to figures published today.
Kantar Worldpanel in Ireland has published consumer data for the 12 weeks to the 17 February finding that in the four weeks to the same date, sales of frozen burgers in Irish supermarkets fell by 42 per cent.
Kantar, which monitors the grocery purchasing habits of 3,000 demographically representative households in Ireland, says that so far the impact of the horsemeat scandal on supermarkets has only been in consumers changing their habits rather than where they do their shopping.
For individual supermarkets Aldi has enjoyed sales growth of 29 per cent, increasing its overall market share in Ireland from 4.6 per cent last year to 5.9 per cent so far this year.
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“What is notable from Aldi’s performance is that it has grown sales of fruit and vegetables – the most valuable grocery category – by 39 per cent this year,” David Berry, Kantar Worldpanel’s commercial director, said.
Among the three biggest supermarkets – Tesco, Dunnes and SuperValu – only Dunnes increased its market share noticeably with 4.1 per cent sales growth.
The growth in the market of just under one per cent is the highest level since December 2011 with Kantar saying this is attributable to the increase in grocery prices.
Grocery inflation is at 5.8 per cent for the three month period ending 17 February, which is the highest level since September 2008 when grocery inflation was recorded at 6.2 per cent.
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