Member Article

Supermarket Sweeps: Which London supermarkets ‘cleaned up’ after lockdown lifted?

As the UK introduced outdoor meetings last week, which supermarkets did Londoners choose before hitting the parks?

Monday the 29th March saw not only the relaxing of lockdown rules across the UK, but some of the warmest March weather on record. As Londoners flocked to parks and green spaces, to enjoy drinks and snacks with friends and family, London’s biggest supermarkets saw major ‘picnic’ raids.

The below data shows card spending increases and decreases in supermarkets in London, on Wise accounts.

Battle of the Barbecue:

Lockdowns were lifted, the sunshine was out, so which supermarket was our customers’ picnic pick?

• Monday the 29th March saw a 40% increase in all supermarket spending from Wise accounts across London
• (Average spend on Monday 29th March was 40% higher compared to Monday 22nd March)
• ASDA took the picnic provider crown, with spending more than tripling compared to the week before
• (Average spend in ASDA increased 351% when compared to the week before)
• Wise account holders spent 40% more in Aldi on Monday 29th March than they did on Monday the 22nd, while picnic veterans M&S saw a 27% increase in spend

Preparing for the Easter Feasters:

Customers stocked up ahead of the Easter Weekend, whether it was prepping for a Sunday roast, or filling the fridge with prosecco, bank holiday Friday was THE biggest day for supermarket spending.

• Overall, spending in the major supermarkets on Good Friday increased almost 60% compared to the same day the week before
• ASDA was again the supermarket of choice ahead of the Easter Weekend, recording a spending increase of 227% on Good Friday compared to the Friday before.
• Frozen food specialists Iceland closed in on ASDA for biggest increase in spend, seeing an 86% increase in spend compared to the week before
• Morrisons came in third, seeing a 76% increase compared to the previous week

High end vs Discounters

Overall, Lidl saw the biggest consumer spend during the entire week, but how did they measure up compared to their high-end competitors?

• During the week of 29th March - 5th April, Lidl recorded 3% more overall spend than its high-end rival, Waitrose
• In the head-to-head of the high-end supermarkets, M&S took the crown, recording a 27% increase on Monday 29th compared to Monday 22nd, compared to Waitrose’s 1%.
• M&S maintained a slight edge on Waitrose on Bank Holiday Friday too, seeing a 27% increase compared to the week before, with Waitrose recording just a 21% increase for the same period.

Lars Trunin, UK Head of Product at Wise, says “It is clear that our customers in London were keen spenders in the week of the 29th March. The combination of the warm weather, and the ease in lockdown restrictions, led to supermarkets soaking up spend, as many people visited the parks and made the most of their gardens. Easter also saw one of the first big ‘holidays’ where people could see friends and family, so increased spending suggests people were preparing to enjoy this in full.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Wise .