*This project was originally delivered by Gamma, now part of KatRisk.
Overview
SuperValu emerged as Ireland’s most convenient supermarket brand in KatRisk’s* analysis of grocery accessibility across Ireland. The study used population, road network, and store location data to measure both drive-time and walk-time convenience, showing how proximity shapes where consumers shop. It also compared the performance of Lidl, Aldi, Tesco, and Dunnes Stores, and revealed important differences in accessibility at both the national and county levels.
The Challenge
Convenience remains one of the most important factors influencing where consumers choose to shop for groceries. While price, range, and quality all play a role, proximity often determines which supermarket people use most frequently.
Against a backdrop of changing shopping habits, including increased use of delivery and click-and-collect services, the challenge was to understand how well Ireland’s supermarket network serves the population and which brands are best placed to meet demand. The analysis also sought to identify differences in accessibility by county and to compare convenience for both drivers and pedestrians.
The Solution
KatRisk used location intelligence analysis to evaluate supermarket accessibility across Ireland. The model combined:
- population distribution data
- residential address data
- road network information
- supermarket outlet locations
Using this approach, the team identified the nearest supermarket options for people across the country based on off-peak drive time, and separately assessed walk-time accessibility using road distance and an assumed walking speed of 5 km/h.
The analysis covered a broad range of supermarket brands and provided a detailed view of national and county-level convenience, helping to show how store location influences customer access and potential store performance.
The Results
The analysis found that SuperValu remains the most convenient supermarket brand in Ireland, with 33% of the population having SuperValu as their closest supermarket by drive time. Lidl ranked second, followed by Aldi, Tesco, and Dunnes Stores.
Other key findings included:
- 78% of the population live within 10 minutes’ drive of their nearest supermarket
- The mean drive time to a supermarket is six minutes
- 66% of the population has three different supermarket chains within 10 minutes by car
- 33% of the population lives within a 15-minute walk of a supermarket
- 54% of Dubliners have a supermarket within a 15-minute walk
The study also showed strong regional variation. Aldi was the most convenient brand in Kilkenny and Clare, Lidl led in Donegal, Kildare, Limerick, and Offaly, while Tesco ranked highest in Waterford.
For pedestrians, SuperValu again performed best among the major brands, with 13% of the total population living within a 15-minute walk of one of its stores. Dunnes Stores was the least convenient of the Big Five for walkers, with only 8% of people within that range.
Overall, the findings reinforced the importance of store location as a driver of customer behaviour and demonstrated how retailers can use location intelligence to make more informed network planning and investment decisions.
“While shoppers might be willing to travel further for certain items or for specific reasons, such as value or quality, they are most likely to go to one of their closest supermarkets. In turn, retailers can utilise these behaviours and insights to identify the best locations for their stores and make better business decisions.”
Charlotte Cuffe, Senior Data Scientist at KatRisk
