Lidl has moved ahead of Morrisons to become Britain’s fifth-largest supermarket in Great Britain, marking a shift in the country’s grocery market after years of steady expansion by discount chains. New figures show the German retailer reached a record market share while Morrisons continued to face pressure amid slower sales growth and wider restructuring efforts.
Lidl has reached a position that would have seemed unlikely two decades ago, when it accounted for only a small portion of the UK grocery sector. According to Worldpanel by Numerator, the retailer held an 8.6% market share in the 12 weeks to 17 May, placing it ahead of Morrisons on 8.3%. The change reflects broader shopping patterns as households continue to look for lower grocery bills and respond to ongoing pressure from food and household costs.
Lidl’s Expansion Pushes It Ahead of a Traditional Supermarket Rival
Lidl recorded sales growth of 8.8% year on year across the three months to 17 May, reaching £3.16 billion, according to figures reported across multiple outlets citing Worldpanel by Numerator. Morrisons, by comparison, reported sales growth of 1.3%, with sales exceeding £3 billion during the same period.
According to The Guardian, Lidl represented only 1.4% of the grocery market around 25 years ago. Since entering the UK market in 1994, the company has expanded to 1,000 stores and 13 distribution centres across England, Scotland and Wales, employing 35,000 people.
Earlier this year, Lidl announced plans to invest more than £600 million and open over 50 new stores across the UK over the next 12 months. The company said the expansion would create nearly 2,000 jobs. Ryan McDonnell, chief executive of Lidl GB, said becoming Britain’s fifth-largest supermarket reflected the momentum the business had built and changing customer expectations around value and quality.
Industry analysts linked the retailer’s rise to long-term store expansion and changing consumer behaviour. Jonathan De Mello, founder and chief executive of JDM Retail, said Lidl had benefited from aggressive growth and stronger interest from middle-income shoppers in discount grocery retail.
Morrisons Faces Pressure as the Wider Supermarket Market Shifts
The latest rankings underline the challenge facing Morrisons, which has been attempting to strengthen its position under chief executive Rami Baitiéh.
Morrisons has faced sustained pressure since its acquisition by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2021. According to reporting in The Telegraph, the supermarket carries around £3 billion of debt and posted losses of £381 million in 2025, including a £281 million interest bill.
Recent measures have included the planned closure of around 100 convenience stores, alongside reductions in head-office roles and changes to in-store operations. Morrisons disputed aspects of the market share data, stating that Worldpanel’s figures do not fully capture sales through its convenience estate. A spokesperson said the company’s market share had remained stable since the beginning of 2025 and that it continued to serve more than 10 million customers each week.
Across the wider market, Tesco retained the largest share at 28.2%, followed by Sainsbury’s at 15.2%. Asda remained third at 11.5%, while Aldi held 10.8%, according to Worldpanel by Numerator.
