In Germany, some of the discounters dominate the food trade. Only at Christmas is something different, even if the lure of cheap providers these days with delicacies.
Fresh oysters, venison medallions or champagne, is Christmas a large number of fine dining this year again in the shelves of Aldi, Lidl and co. The little luxury to the Festival has developed to become an integral part of the offer of the discounters. No wonder, because at no other time of the year, German consumers ready to spend so much money.
“The weeks before Christmas for the food retailers, the most important in the whole year. In the Christmas week of sales for the discounters is increasing by 30 percent compared to an average week, for super markets by nearly 60 percent,” says Hogen, the trade expert of the market researcher Nielsen, Fred. According to a Nielsen study, 97 percent of German citizens Christmas with good food connect, “only” 90 percent with gifts.
More and more premium products
On average, German households want to spend this year, about 117 euros for the food of the feast days, revealed a recent survey by the consulting firm Deloitte. Of it as much as possible off, have strengthened the discounters Hogen, according to their range of Premium products for the Christmas season for years. “With the touch of luxury you want to show to the super markets flag,” says the industry expert. However, despite these efforts, the time to stay in front of the Firmly the domain of the supermarkets such as Edeka or Rewe.
“Before Christmas, the money sits looser than usual. You want to afford something. The super markets and consumer markets benefit,” says Hogen. “Their market share is increasing in the days before Christmas significantly from a normal 54 to 59 percent.” The Discounter has benefited all in all, the consumption – but significantly less. Their market share declining in the days before the Feast of 46 to 41 percent.
Even the small luxury of the holds before the Festival to enter in the discount shelves, which can change only a little. According to the Figures from Nielsen, sales in the discounters, with the in-house precious products from the beef tenderloin to the noble Barolo from Italian vineyards are in the past Christmas sales even decreased: “The small luxury from the discounters will no longer have the traction like they used to.”
Around 117 Euro for the food on the feast days
New Strategies Cheap Provider
the Nevertheless, for low-cost suppliers, no Alternative to the strategy to fill the shelves before the Feast with delicacies. “Don’t, you would do it you would lose in the pre-Christmas business is probably still significantly more market shares”, – the expert believes. After all, it had managed Aldi, Lidl and co., the loss of Premium own brands with the Neulistung of brand-name products to compensate.
In addition, the discounters are now looking to secure the Christmas business is also attractive sales away from the food trade. They are increasingly offering such as toys and Christmas decorations. Lidl put, this time a 28-page toy catalog with Offers such as wood rocking horse, model railroad and game kids cars to remote-controlled flying helicopter. Available the products are, in part, in the Store, some only online. Aldi Süd has Christmas decorations from the light chain, Christmas tree balls to a cushion with a Christmas motif.
The strategy behind this is for Hogen easy to understand. “Today, every German household is almost at the discount store shopping.” Therefore, the provider could develop hardly any new groups of customers. Instead, the key is to sell existing customers more. “That’s why you build your offer and go straight to Christmas, even far beyond the food sector.”