Aldi UK CEO Giles Hurley has called Asda's price war a "fictitious price war", downplaying the real intensity of competition in the sector. In an interview with The TimesHurley said he had not seen any particularly aggressive moves from competitors, despite Asda's promises to become the UK's cheapest supermarket.
Hurley’s comments come as Kantar data revealed that Aldi has overtaken Asda in food and drink sales over the past 12 weeks, with a 9,8% share versus Asda’s 9,4% (excluding household goods). “It’s just an interesting number, but we’re not targeting a specific position,” Hurley said, noting that Aldi has long been the third-largest player in the sector by volume.
Considering the entire grocery sector, including household products, Aldi rose to 11,1% of the market, against 10,8% the previous year. Asda, on the other hand, fell from 13% to 12,1%.
Asda chairman Allan Leighton responded by saying that market share was not an everyday concern and that the priority remained consistent execution of strategies. However, the group reported a 5,9% drop in sales (excluding fuel) in the four months to March 31, or -3,1% on a like-for-like basis.
