Sainsbury’s performs a lot better than Tesco

Tesco: drop in non-food, marginal growth in food

Tesco’s UK turnover has increased 1.7
% over the first 26 weeks of 2013 (until 24 August). Like-for-like turnover however dropped 0.5 percent, which Tesco blamed on the caving
non-food turnover. The chain stated it is working on a “transition to fast-growing
categories with bigger margins”.

The British market leader has shown in its renewed Watford hypermarket that it is about focusing less on consumer electronics and more on clothing, decorative items for the house and
kitchen and gift items. Non-food articles suffer less from online competition,
according to Tesco.

The chain also points out that the like-for-like
growth in food was positive, as turnover increased a meagre 1 percent. The
market leader claims updating its home brand range has helped, with high-range
Tesco Finest performing well.

Sainsbury’s: convenience helps growth

Sainsbury’s comfortably outperformed Tesco in the second quarter and its
half-year up until 28 September 2013: total
turnover grew 4 % over six months and like-for-like it grew 1.4 %. That is
a cut above Tesco’s, but still well off Waitrose’s like-for-like growth of 6.9
%.

Sainsbury’s points out that 0.3 % of its like-for-like sales growth comes
from improving and rebuilding stores. The
chain has rebuilt eight supermarkets and expanded two in the first semester. In
addition, it closed two convenience stores, rebuilding another 22. Opening six
new supermarkets and fifty new convenience stores has helped Sainsbury’s total
sales growth. 

Large turnover increase for Aldi

Retailers at the edges of the spectrum are doing great in Great Britain: not
only is Waitrose, in the higher end of the market, performing great; Aldi is
blowing everyone away. Aldi’s 2012 turnover
rose 40.6 percent to 3.9 billion pounds (4.67 billion euro). Particularly meat, fruit and
vegetables saw increased sales: meat sales grew 60 percent over the past
three years.

Other figures grew significantly as well: Aldi managed to attract a million additional customers compared to last year and quite impressively, the chain saw its profit before taxes even increase 124 percent to
157.9 million pounds (190 million euro). 

The company believes these numbers prove that their approach works in the
United Kingdom. “We give customers
exactly what they want, which is the best products at the best prices,
every day of the year. We have a simple low pricing offer that customers really
understand and we don’t try to confuse them with the likes of multi-buy
promotions”, says Matthew Barnes, Joint Group Managing Director.

This year, Aldi aims to open another fifty stores, with a 500th store opening in Bury St. Edmunds on 31
October. “We are continuing to open stores right across the country,
attracting more people and a broader demographic to Aldi”, Barnes added.

Areas of growth: online and convenience stores

Alongside Sainsbury’s, Tesco has also been actively improving stores in the
first six months. “So far over 30 % of
our large stores have now received store-wide improvements to their look
and feel, with average sales uplifts running at between 3% and 5%”, according
to Tesco’s result statement. Just like in the superstores, Tesco is going for a
“food first” approach in its Extra hypermarkets.

British retailers can gain more ground through online and through
convenience stores, with Sainsbury’s stating that its second quarter online
turnover has increased 15 %. Its
convenience stores even grew 20 %, with the beautiful weather during the
summer pushing sales.

Tesco building online supply chain

Tesco is writing off considerable sums in its real estate portfolio, limiting the
number of new stores. 30 % of the stores it does open, are convenience
stores. The first semester saw 54 new Tesco Express stores and 16 One Stop
convenience stores from its subsidiary. This convenience retailer has not been
integrated into Tesco and operates independently, after being bought in 2003.

Tesco’s online sales growth in foods grew some 13 %, with the chain offering
customers the chance to pick up their online orders in 200 locations. Tesco’s online
supply chain now consists of 5
distribution centres taking care of the online orders, with a sixth to be opened later this month to facilitate growth. This sixth centre has an
increased level of automation (and therefore capacity).