Retail is detail, or so says the old adage, but for the outright winners of the IWSC’s inaugural Supermarket of the Year awards, Waitrose, it was a compelling mix of attention to ‘ethical sourcing and regenerative practices’ alongside its ‘top notch’ wine selection that sealed the deal, after a rigorous assessment that included range tastings, a sustainability audit, leadership interviews, social media engagement and even mystery shopper visits to measure whether each retailer lived up to its promises.
Waitrose was the big winner in the inaugural IWSC Supermarket of the Year awards
While Waitrose was victorious overall, after also winning the ‘Sustainable Supermarket’ award, there was a fascinating spread of category winners, revealing the fiercely competitive nature of the UK grocery market and reflecting the level of respect afforded to this country’s retailers from peers around the world.
Tesco took home the coveted ‘Classic Supermarket’ trophy, rewarded both for its recent investment in revitalising its wine range and for its accomplished execution.Co-op was awarded best Convenience Supermarket, Lidl secured a narrow victory over Aldi in the Discounter Supermarket catetgory, Booths won Regional/Specialist Supermarket, while Ocado was honoured for its online prowess and named Online Supermarket. Waitrose was also singled out as Sustainable Supermarket of the year.
Meticulous process
The winners were announced at a ceremony in London last week, the culmination of a meticulous year-long process entailing more than 240 hours of information gathering, interviews, tasting and discussion for the team of four judges: Cat Lomax, a former buyer with Marks & Spencer, Laithwaite’s, Majestic and Waitrose, who developed the judging criteria; former Waitrose buyer-turned-consultant, Anne Jones, who led the sustainability assessment; ex Harvey Nichols head of spirits buying, Ivan Dixon; and myself.
IWSC's ceo Christelle Guibert says the big change in the judging was to assess all supermarkets whether they entered or not
Speaking at the event, IWSC CEO, Christelle Guibert, explained the decision to remake the process, putting the customer experience at its heart: “In the past, supermarkets interested in this award would submit an application, and a panel of industry experts would select the winners based on those entries and their professional knowledge.
“This year, we changed our approach: instead of relying solely on applications, we evaluated all supermarkets, whether they choose to participate or not. This shift allowed for a more inclusive and transparent judging process, ensuring that every supermarket was assessed holistically based on the full experience they provide, resulting in an exacting assessment that better reflects the renowned rigour of the IWSC judging process for wine, spirits and no and low.”
As all the major retailers were assessed, there were obviously losers as well as winners, with Asda receiving the lowest score, the judges noting its disorganised in-store layout, particularly in the spirits, beer, and low/no alcohol sections, and “limited focus on wine and spirits sustainability’“.
Innovation and trends in UK grocery
Courtesy of the comprehensive nature of the judging process, it was also possible to identify some key trends in the UK drinks retail space including:
- the rise of eco-conscious packaging, with retailers such as Aldi and M&S highlighted for leading the charge.
- the growing strength of the no & low category, particularly at Ocado, Aldi, Sainsbury's, and Waitrose.
- the evolution of the rosé revolution, with French, Italian, and Chilean varieties proving especially popular on the rosé shelves.
- the explosion in the popularity of orange wine, after many years of it being talked up, with triple-digit growth reported by Ocado.
- the rise of Portuguese wines, which have gained a larger share of Waitrose’s portfolio, showcasing a willingness among customers to experiment with less-well-known but high-quality wines.
Marks & Spencer has helped raise the profile of pet nat wines
- a boom for Pet Nat, with strong sales reported by M&S.
- the growing importance of mid-strength wines across all the retailers, due to duty rate changes - though tasting scores suggested this remains a work in progress.
- a surge for Japanese spirits, fuelled by the growing influence of Japanese cuisine among home cooks.
- a marked increase in sales of RTD cocktails, most especially pre-made negroni.
- and in the beer section a resurgent stout category, most likely inspired by the Guinness ‘split the G’ craze that has seen a run of stocks of the Irish staple.
Picking the winners
The judges: Ivan Dixon; Anne Jones; Cat Lomax; and David Kermode. Picture Seb Higgins
The top award, ‘Outstanding Supermarket’, went to Waitrose, with the judges lavishing praise on its “top-tier wine selection, positive customer experience, and industry-leading sustainability initiatives”.
Those measures also helped Waitrose secure the ‘Sustainable Supermarket’ award, honoured for “leading ethical sourcing and regenerative practices, with clear sustainability goals”.
Presenting the award, Jones, explained that the employee-owned retailer had taken sustainability to a new level: “Waitrose stood out with its certification of regenerative agriculture through its Leckford Estate and its extensive PR efforts around this achievement. It has set a new standard in sustainability, consistently prioritising eco-friendly practices across all operations.”
Tesco won ‘Classic Supermarket’ trophy, winning acclaim for a comprehensive range review which has recently “revitalised” its offer, with “exciting new wines”, as well as its “well-executed in-store experience”, which I experienced first-hand during a mystery shopper visit, finding best in class availability, very good signage and shelf-edge communication and helpful staff in the BWS section.
Co-op was named best ‘Convenience Supermarket’ praised for its in-store experience, engaging social media presence and laudable sustainability efforts.The judges noting “it offers an impressive in-store experience with a well-curated range which exceeded expectations for a convenience store and included hidden gems and great value offerings … the attention to detail and genuine care left a lasting impression’.
Lidl just tipped Aldi to the discounter award
The battle for ‘Discount Supermarket’ was a two-horse race between Aldi and Lidl, with the latter emerging triumphant after some spirited debate in the judging chamber.
Lidl was recognised for its significantly improved core range and efficiently organised stores, with Jones commenting: “Lidl’s wine range was a real surprise this year - much improved and thoughtfully presented. The store layout also makes for a pleasant shopping experience.”
The ‘Online Supermarket’ award went to Ocado, which triumphed for its “user-friendly platform and extensive product selection”, with Lomax praising the digitalpioneer: “Ocado excels in online retailing, offering a flexible and user-friendly platform that makes discovering new wines effortless.”
Finally there were just two regional/specialist contenders: family-owned, Lancashire-based, Booths and American import, Whole Foods Market.Booths emerged victorious, with the judges lauding its “exceptional in-store experience, elegant design, helpful staff, and well-integrated drinks selection”. The retailer also won high praise for its “well curated wine range”, showcased at a press tasting last autumn.
* You can find our more about the IWSC and its awards here.
