Aldi has revealed the number of middle- to upper-class customers shopping at its stores has risen by over 5% in the last 12 months.
The discount retailer, which opened its 500th store in Bury St Edmunds today, said that 18.6% of its shoppers are now AB – the category commonly regarded as middle class – compared with 12.9% in 2012.
The research, which surveyed 5,916 adults and was compiled by Verdict Research on behalf of Aldi, also found that 4% of AB shoppers in the UK did most of their shopping at Aldi in 2013, compared with just 1.8% in 2012. The discounter has recently opened up stores in more affluent areas such as Winchester and Knutsford.
“This report shows that once new customers come into store they are quickly won over by the quality of our products, causing more and more to turn their backs on the major supermarkets and do their full weekly shop at Aldi,” said Tony Baines, managing director of buying at Aldi.
Andrew Stevens, food and grocery specialist at Verdict, added: “An impressive 32.3% of the shoppers using Aldi for their main shop this year have switched from shopping at rival grocers in 2012.
“Of those who have switched, 36.6% came from Tesco, 19.7% from Asda, 16.9% from Morrisons and 12.7% from Sainsbury’s, proving the growth in Aldi’s appeal among midmarket shoppers. While most Aldi shoppers (91%) say they shop at the discounter for its prices, 29% state that the quality of products is the main reason they keep coming back to the store, the second highest in the sector behind upmarket grocer Waitrose.”
Aldi will follow in the footsteps of Lidl by launching a Christmas ad geared towards premium ranges. Its Christmas advert, set to air on Monday, will focus on products including a leg of Serrano ham and fresh lobster tails.
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