New figures show that Dunnes Stores for the first time has maintained its position as the country's biggest grocer for two months in a row.
Figures from Kantar Worldpanel show that Dunnes increased its market share of the grocery market to 22.9% for the 12 weeks to February 26. This is up from 22.5% the same time last year as sales at the supermarket chain rose by 4.6%.
Dunnes' shoppers are adding more to their baskets while they shop there, with the average basket spend featuring an extra one and a half items.
This translates into an additional €3 per trip and €25m for the retailer in the past 12 weeks, Kantar Worldpanel's director David Berry said.
The grocer's "Shop and Save" initiative is also continuing to attract customers, he added.
Supervalu continues to chase Dunnes, with a 22.6% share of the market. The average SuperValu customer spent an extra €1 per trip which resulted in sales growing by 0.5% and amounting to an extra €3m for the chain.
"With Supervalu planning to open three new stores and refurbish a host of others, the retailer will be expecting to experience a boost in sales later in the year," Mr Berry stated.
But after three months of steady growth, Tesco sales fell by 1% after 11 days of staff strikes. Its market share fell to 21.7% in the 12 weeks to the end of February from 22.6% the same time last year.
The discounters' share of the market also continued to increase with sales at Aldi and Lidl up by 5.3% and 4.1% respectively.
Kantar Worldpanel said that Aldi attracted an additional 20,000 customers into its stores during the 12 week period, lifting its share of the market to 10.8%. Lidl's growing sales saw it increase its share of the market to 10.6%.
