One in every three supermarket transactions in the UK is now made at Tesco, according to new research from financial provider Zable.
Analysis of customer credit card data found Tesco accounted for 33.6% of all supermarket transactions tracked, giving the retailer a commanding lead over rivals Sainsbury’s, which accounted for 15% of transactions, and Asda, which took 14%.
The findings suggest Tesco’s dominance extends beyond its position as the UK’s largest grocer – with around 28% of the market share – highlighting the retailer’s grip on consumers’ day-to-day shopping habits through a combination of supermarkets, convenience stores and online services.
What the research found
Zable analysed transaction volumes, spending patterns and purchase timings across major retailers to identify where consumers are shopping, as well as how preferences vary across demographic groups and regions.
The research also revealed clear differences in supermarket preferences by age. Waitrose and Marks & Spencer Food attract the oldest customer bases among the retailers analysed, with more than a third of transactions coming from shoppers aged 50 and over, at 35.6% and 34.6% respectively.
Meanwhile, Aldi, Lidl and Asda are most popular among shoppers aged 40 to 49, suggesting value-focused supermarkets continue to resonate strongly with Gen X and older Millennial households, many of whom are likely to be managing larger family grocery shops and looking to stretch household budgets further.
Regional variation
The data also highlighted significant regional variation in supermarket loyalties. Sainsbury’s performs particularly strongly in London, accounting for almost a quarter (24.9%) of supermarket transactions in the capital. Asda, meanwhile, records its strongest performance across northern and post-industrial towns and cities.
Store networks appear to play an important role in shaping those results. Tesco’s extensive national footprint, including its large estate of Tesco Express convenience stores, supports its outsized share of shopping trips. Sainsbury’s convenience business is especially concentrated in London, while Asda retains a strong presence across northern England, reflecting its Yorkshire roots.
Taken together, the findings suggest that while shoppers do still make supermarket choices based on price, location and convenience, Tesco’s huge scale helps it remain the retailer that Brits interact with most frequently, accounting for more than one in three supermarket transactions across the country.
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