The UK grocery landscape has evolved over the past few years, transforming from an industry dominated by weekly supermarket trips to one where consumers expect everything from emergency bread to Sunday roasts delivered to their doorstep within hours. This new resource fromm SISTRIX combines our TrendWatch, SectorWatch and Visibility Leaders work and will help you track the sector and analyse the winning websites and content.
Top 3 websites
The leaders in our latest analysis might not be too surprising for those familiar with the UK market. Tesco, the website that threw away their Tesco Direct business, is now building out their marketplace offering and are appearing for core online grocery terms like ‘online supermarket, ‘grocery delivery service’, and ‘weekly shop online. Amazon and Asda are also Visibility Leaders Winners.
Click here for the full set of Visibility Leaders reports and trackers for the retail grocery sector.
High Performance Content Examples
We measure performance at the directory level and look at the percentage of keyword rankings that appear on page 1 of the search results. A high page-1 ratio indicates an efficient and well-targeted directory and serves as a blueprint for success. Take a look at these directories from brands like Walkers, Cotswold Flour and One Stop Chilli Shop.
The Real Competitors in retail grocery
Across a large number of keywords the “Big Five” supermarkets are very visible but when you start to look at sectors, the results lead to competitors you might never have heard before. The list above shows the top 10 competitors for the ‘do’ transactional searches in our curated list. More information and analysis is available in the report by Charlie Williams.
Leading URLs
Again, blueprints for success. These URLs are particularly good at attracting traffic from large numbers of keywords. URLs are usually tightly focused so in the table above we’ve highlights the top keyword for which they rank. Full lists are show in this article.
Supermarket Visibility
In terms of overall visibility in Google search, the top domains are all recognisable brands but the order in which they appear may surprise some. Remember that UK supermarkets extend way out beyond groceries though and you will understand why B&M Stores is at position 5 and was one of the biggest growing domains in the sector in the last 12 months. Occado is at position 11. Our supermarket analysis includes more ‘basket of keywords’ analysis.
Grocery Tracker
To help you keep a track of the latest movements in the sector we’ve created a tracker focused on an ‘online’ retail basket. Sainsbury’s have gained considerable visibility in this tracker. Check back to the overview page for this tracker which updates every week.
Full TrendWatch
Our TrendWatch journalist, Nicole Scott, has produced a grocery and supermarket-specific report on trending search terms. Read the report for the back story to 10 trends from around the sector.
Trending – Chop Chop Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Chop Chop, which promises grocery delivery within 60 minutes, is experiencing steady growth in search volumes as UK consumers increasingly embrace rapid delivery services. Launched initially in London’s Wandsworth borough in 2020, the service now operates across major UK cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, and Sheffield.
The app allows customers to order up to 30 items from thousands of Sainsbury’s products with delivery fees starting at £4.99. Users can schedule delivery within an hour and has real-time tracking.The trend reflects broader market shifts, with grocery delivery accounting for 37.3% of the UK food delivery market by end of 2024.
Sometimes the best things in life really do come to those who don’t wait, especially when you need emergency custard creams at 9 pm.
View more reports and data from the retail grocery industry in our Visibility Leaders reports.
Trending – Zoom Ocado
Zoom by Ocado is a rapid grocery delivery service gaining momentum through bold marketing campaigns and expanded infrastructure. The service promises delivery of over 10,000 products within 60 minutes, from fresh food and household essentials to branded goods, targeting consumers seeking convenience without compromising on choice.
The brand has invested heavily in creative, large-scale marketing developed with agency St Luke’s, featuring playful animated grocery items and memorable taglines like “the speedy grocer app with mountains of choice.” These campaigns span TV, video on demand, out-of-home advertising, social media, and digital displays, creating strong brand recognition among urban consumers.
Zoom has also expanded its distribution infrastructure with new depots in key urban areas to ensure faster, more reliable service. Having Ocado as the parent company helps too — they’re a major online grocery player in the UK and internationally with excellent logistics and technical prowess. The company emphasises value by highlighting price matches with major supermarkets and offering affordable delivery options.
This combination of memorable advertising, operational expansion, and competitive pricing is successfully driving visibility. It turns out animated avocados make pretty good salespeople.\
Trending – What to eat on mounjaro
As Mounjaro gains traction as a significant weight-loss and diabetes management tool in the UK, a critical associated query is “what to eat on Mounjaro.” Individuals prescribed the drug understand that diet plays a pivotal role in its effectiveness and in managing potential side effects. They are actively seeking specific dietary recommendations, meal plans, and nutritional strategies tailored to complement the drug’s action.
This trending query signifies a proactive approach by UK users to optimize their treatment. They are looking for guidance on how to maximize weight loss, control blood sugar, and alleviate common gastrointestinal side effects through food choices. The demand for clear and practical dietary advice, including recipes and food lists, is driving this search as people integrate the medication into their daily lives.
Click here for the full set of Visibility Leaders reports and trackers for the retail grocery sector.
TrendWatch, SectorWatch and Visibility Leaders are regular studies created by the data journalism team at SISTRIX. Get notifications for all the new reports by signing up to this newsletter. (Approx 4-6 notifications per month.)
