The grocery market continues to be ferociously competitive with all of the Big Four winning shoppers from each other. But how do they compare?

Head to head: How the big four grocers are performing

Sainsbury’s reported on its first quarter performance today, rounding off all four’s reporting on the quarter. Although the Diamond Jubilee and comparatives against the Royal Wedding have made comparing performance difficult, Retail Week takes a look at their contrasting fortunes.

First quarter performance (like-for-like sales)

Sainsbury’s: Up 1.4% for the 12 weeks to June 9

Tesco: Down 1.5% in the 13 weeks to May 26

Morrisons: Down 1% in the 13 weeks to April 29

Asda: Up 2.2% in the 12 weeks to March 31

Jubilee

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee was the crucial differentiator in analysing the market, with just Sainsbury’s including it in their figures

Tesco: Reported £1bn of sales in the run up to Jubilee

Sainsbury’s: Reported “strong sales” in the run-up to the Jubilee weekend when it sponsored boats on the flotilla on the Thames and a family festival in Hyde Park. Raises a question over what its first quarter like-for-like performance would have been like without the Jubilee sales contribution

Asda: Reported that the “nation’s spirits weren’t dampened over the Jubilee weekend, despite the wet weather” and that party food sales were strong

Morrisons: Struggled against tough Royal Wedding comparatives in the first quarter but Jubilee likely to have provided an uplift

Market Share: Kantar Worldpanel data for the 12 weeks to May 13

Tesco: 30.8%, 31.1% in 2011. Sales growth: 1.9%

Asda: 17.4%, 17.5% in 2011. Sales growth: 2.8%

Sainsbury’s: 16.5%, 16.5% in 2011. Sales growth: 3%

Morrisons: 11.9%, 12.1% in 2011. Sales growth: 1.2%

Chief executives status

Tesco: Philip Clarke: Under pressure but defiant that his plan is on the right track

Sainsbury’s: Justin King: Ebullient, confident the summer events will lead to a sales lift but question mark over underlying performance given Tesco’s likely come back

Asda: Andy Clarke: Under the radar. Remains relatively tight lipped but the business remains on song since “winning Christmas”

Morrisons: Dalton Philips: Confident his plans to implement new formats, ranges and counter services will improve performance

Marketing

Tesco: Clarke has been critical of the number of coupons in the market but Tesco has played its part with £5 off £40 and £10 off £80 spends

Asda: Has also been running money off vouchers in the national press and has put a strong focus on round pound deals, moving away from multibuys

Sainsbury’s: Brand Match continues to be the preferred promotions, offering money off brands if they would have been cheaper at Asda or Tesco

Morrisons: Winning shoppers through its Fuel Britannia and Fresh Bargains promotions. Is trialling a Brand Match-style coupon at till scheme

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