Almost two thirds (65%) of UK shoppers have switched some or all of their food shop to discounters Aldi or Lidl, a 4% rise year on year, new data has found.
According to research from over 1,000 UK shoppers by in-store automation and communication solutions provider Pricer, over half (51%) said they had switched some of their food spend to the discounters, while 14% said they now do their entire food shop with either Aldi or Lidl.
Younger demographics were the most likely to have switched to discount grocers, rising to 79% of millennials, and 78% of Gen Z.
Meanwhile, regionally, Londoners were the most likely to shift away from the traditional grocers for 81%, compared to 60% in the Midlands and 67% in the North.
Subscribe to Grocery Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning
It comes as 81% of consumers polled said they remain cost conscious and over a third (35%) said they plan to remain economical with their food spend, even if their disposable income felt less squeezed.
Pricer UK country manager Peter Ward said: “Overwhelmingly, our research shows a growing diffraction in supermarket loyalty among consumers. Largely driven by pricing and cost-sensitivity, this plays naturally into the hands of the discounters, which is why they’ve continued a steep growth trajectory.
“However, while price remains at the fore, choice – both across branded and non-branded goods – quality and access to higher welfare produce are all also playing key roles in consumers’ motivations to shop around for their groceries, which gives traditional supermarkets another battleground on which to fight for share of wallet, rather than just a race to the bottom.”
The research comes as both Aldi and Lidl continue to ramp up expansion plans across the UK.
In February, Aldi unveiled plans to invest more than £550m in expanding its store and distribution network during 2024, while Lidl is set to open hundreds of new stores across the country this year, in locations including Bristol, Birmingham, Berwick, as well as in London areas such as Wandsworth, Fulham, Hoxton and Canning Town.
