Dunnes holds the lead as Ireland’s top grocer
Irish shoppers hunt for deals this Easter against backdrop of global uncertainty
Print5 May 2026
Dunnes holds 24.1% grocery market share, with sales growth of 4.8% year on year, the latest data from Worldpanel by Numerator shows.
Over the latest 12 weeks, Dunnes shoppers returned to stores more often, with trips up 4.4% versus last year, contributing an additional €36.9 million to overall performance.
Tesco holds 24% of the market, with year-on-year value growth of 7.4%. New shoppers to Tesco stores were up 3.9 percentage points versus last year, contributing an additional €32.1 million to overall performance.
SuperValu holds 19.4% of the market with growth of 0.3%. Consumers made the most shopping trips to the grocer, averaging 24.2 trips over the latest 12 weeks. New shopper arrivals contributed an additional €17.9 million to performance.
Lidl holds 14.4% market share, up 11.4%. An influx of new shoppers to stores, alongside existing shoppers making larger trips, drove an additional combined €38.9 million in sales.
Aldi holds 10.9% market share. Increased trips to store and new shopper arrivals drove an additional combined €10 million in sales.
Take-home grocery sales
Take-home grocery sales in Ireland increased by 4.4% over the four weeks to 19 April 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to the latest data from Worldpanel by Numerator.
The timing of Easter this year meant shoppers started their purchasing earlier in March, boosting value growth compared to the previous four weeks.
Shoppers are visiting stores more frequently, with trips up 3.2% year on year, as they seek out value and deals against a backdrop of price rises.
Footfall also increased over the latest four weeks, with shoppers on average making just over 23 trips in the month, or one more than during the previous. Volume per trip, however, continued to decline, down 3.4% year on year.
Commenting on the latest figures, Emer Healy, business development director, Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “Consumer uncertainty due to global events has sparked a sense of caution among shoppers, who are demonstrating signs of making more considered purchasing decisions as discretionary spend is squeezed by rising fuel prices at the pumps.”
Shopping habits
Unlocking value for money remains front of mind for shoppers when purchasing everyday goods.
Loyalty cards are one of the main ways shoppers are attempting to manage spend, with 73% claiming to use such schemes, while 67% of shoppers claim to be buying on promotion more often.
“What’s particularly interesting is how deliberate shoppers are being in balancing value with indulgence. While promotions clearly played a key role in helping households stretch budgets ahead of Easter, we still saw shoppers trade up for the occasions that mattered most,” Healy added.
“Easter baskets became a space for premium choices, suggesting that shoppers are still willing to spend that little bit more to make key moments feel special, despite the economic backdrop.”
Shoppers took advantage of the increase in promotional offers available in the run-up to Easter, with almost 20 million more packs bought on offer compared to last month.
Brands held 50% value share, contributing an additional €174 million in value spend and growing ahead of own label ranges, which generated an additional €47 million.
Shoppers prioritised premium products for occasion-led choices, with an additional 3.9 million packs featuring in Easter baskets compared to last month.
Seasonal favourites
Hot cross buns continued to be an Easter favourite, with more than one fifth (20.5%) of Irish households buying them over the month.
Sales increased by 37% in the four weeks to Easter Sunday, which fell on 5 April this year, versus the corresponding run‑up to the holiday last year.
Sales of Easter eggs grew even faster over the corresponding period last year, with sales up 49%. More than €15 million was spent on Easter eggs alone in the seven days to Easter Sunday.
However, lamb did not feature prominently at the Easter dinner table this year, with sales down 31% year on year. Despite this decline, 20% of Irish households did purchase lamb over the Easter month.
April also brought a clear uplift in spring-cleaning activity, with sales of household’s products up 8% year on year, supported by particularly strong demand for household cleaners and laundry products.
“The brighter days and feeling of spring in the air has prompted a seasonal reset in household routines, with shoppers spending a combined €2 million on these products versus last month,” she noted.
Online sales
Online sales rose 9.7% year on year, with shoppers spending an additional €22 million through the channel.
The arrival of new shoppers to the channel over the 12 weeks has brought the proportion of Irish households purchasing their groceries online to over 20%, contributing an additional €28 million to its overall performance.
Read more: Dunnes maintains lead position as Irelands top grocer
© 2026 ShelfLife by Donna Ahern
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