Cheap lines boom as shoppers cut back

Consumers are cutting back on buying premium own-label groceries for the first time in four years, as they flock to the discounters Aldi and Lidl in droves.

Kantar Worldpanel said that sales of premium own-label products are now falling by 6 per cent, while the grocers' value ranges are growing at 13 per cent.

Aldi and Lidl both posted a record market share of 2.9 per cent over the 12 weeks to 8 July, after a sales rise of 26.1 per cent and 11.5 per cent respectively.

While Asda was also buoyed by a 5.1 per cent rise in sales, the Co-operative Group was the sector laggard with sales down by 3.1 per cent.