Tesco PLC's (TSCO.LN) U.K. grocery market share fell to 30.9% in the 12 weeks to Oct. 4, according to Taylor Nelson Sofres World Panel market share data Tuesday.
Tesco, the U.K.'s biggest retailer by sales, experienced a fall in its market share from 31.0% for the same period last year.
The nation's second biggest retailer, Asda Group Ltd., saw its market share rise to 17.2% in the 12 week period from 16.9% a year earlier. Asda is a subsidiary of the world's biggest retailer Wal-Mart Store Inc. (WMT) of the U.S.
J Sainsbury PLC (SBRY.LN) remained in third spot with a market share of 15.7% over the 12 week period to Oct. 4 from 15.5% a year earlier, according to TNS.
William Morrison Supermarkets PLC (MRW.LN) saw a jump to 11.5% from 11.0%, according to TNS, which monitors the household grocery purchasing habits of 25,000 demographically representative households in the U.K.
The discount retailers - Aldi and Lidl continue to see market share growth albeit considerably attenuated from 2008 levels. Total Hard Discounters have seen a modest market share increase to 6.1% from 6.0% a year ago.
Discount supermarket chains are thriving in the U.K. as cash-strapped consumers seek out cheaper goods in a bid to make their money go further.
-By Razak Musah Baba, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9275; razak.baba@dowjones.com