Describing trends and graphs

Rose sharply/rapidly Sharply increased Rocketed Soared Spiked

Increased Rose steadily Climbed steadily Showed an upward trend Picked up

Levelled off Reached a plateau Plateaued

Peaked Reached a peak

Bottomed out Hit/reached a low

Decreased Sharply decreased Fell Fell sharply Fell rapidly Dropped Dropped sharply Dropped rapidly Plummeted Nosedived Crashed Slumped Deteriorated

Showed signs of recovery Recovered slightly Showed an upward trend Bounced back

Fluctuated Was/were volatile Was/were unstable

Describing trends

Tesco Tesco’s enjoyed a huge increase in market share from around 17% in 1995 to 30% in 2006, including sharp rises from 1995 to 1996 and from 2004 to 2006. Since then, Tesco’s market share has been more volatile and after levelling off for 6 years, it has been in decline since 2012.

Asda Asda’s market share rose sharply from just under 10% in 1994 to around 17% in 2005, since which it has plateaued and remained steady at around 16 or 17 %.

Sainsbury’s Sainsbury’s market share has been in general decline since 1995 when it stood at around 19%. However, it has shown signs of recovery since reaching its low point of 15% in 2004, although its market share has dipped again quite sharply during the last year and is now approaching its record low.

Morrisons Morrison’s market share grew steadily from 1994 until 2004, when it rocketed from 6% to 11% in little over a year. Since 2006, however, its market share has been volatile and has fluctuated, and has been generally declining since its peak of around 12.5% in 2010.

Aldi & Lidl Aldi’s and Lidl’s market share has been growing steadily from almost nothing in 1994, and has nearly doubled from just under 5% in 2010 to around 8% in 2014.

Co-operative The co-op’s market share nosedived from a high of just under 15% in 1994 to a low of around 5% in 2007. It recovered slightly between 2010 and 2012 to gain a market share of around 7%, but this number fell a percentage point again by 2014.

Waitrose Waitrose’s market share has been stable since 1994, and overall it has shown a general increase from around 2% to a peak of 5% in 2014. This rise has been accelerating since 2010.

Tesco (28%) Asda (17%) Sainsbury’s (16%) Morrisons (11%) Aldi & Lidl (8%) Co-op (6%) Waitrose (5%) How will this change by 2020?

How would you rank the health of these supermarkets based on their market share trends? Would you rather be in Tesco’s position of market dominance but on the decline, or have a smaller market share like Aldi, Lidl and Waitrose, but be on the way up? What do you make of the company’s in the middle, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Lidl? Is the Co-op doomed?

‘In the next five to 10 years, one of the Big Four could disappear’ ‘In the next five to 10 years, one of the Big Four could disappear’. Bill Grimsey, former Wickes and Iceland CEO But which?