THE WHAT? Supermarket chain Tesco has taken over Boots as the UK’s biggest personal care and toiletries retailer, giving a clear indicator of consumer buying trends in the wake of the pandemic.

THE DETAILS The supermarket giant’s share rose to 20.8 percent this year, a 3 percent YOY growth, while Boots fell 10 percent to 20.5 percent in the same period. 

Boots still holds a larger overall share of the market than all the other retailers and supermarkets. 

THE WHY? Despite being listed as an ‘essential retailer’ during the pandemic, Boots lamented the drop-in footfall during lockdown, stating that COVID-19 had a ‘significant impact on our business.’

Interestingly, the third highest share belonged to bargain stores at 10.8 percent, highlighting that consumer buying habits are in-line with the K-shaped COVID recovery predicted by the financial markets.