Digital sales growth for grocery chain Albertsons Companies slowed to 5% in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021 and for the full fiscal year, reflecting a large-scale return of shoppers to stores to pick their own groceries after the pandemic triggered two-year surges of 287% for Q4 and 263% for the fiscal year, according to a Tuesday (April 12) press release.
For the period ending Feb. 26, Albertsons reported growth in its identical sales of 7.5% for Q4 and a drop for the year of 0.1%. On a two-year stacked basis, identical store sales were up 19.3% for Q4 and 16.8% for the full fiscal year, the release stated.
“We are pleased with our fourth-quarter and full-year 2021 results and the continuing momentum we are seeing as we enter 2022,” said Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran said in the release. “Our strategy is working, and we are executing well against industry-wide pressures.”
Albertsons’ net sales and other revenue for Q4 was $17.4 billion, up from $15.8 billion in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. The growth was in part because of higher fuel sales and retail price inflation along with the identical sales growth, according to the release.
The company invested in its digital and omnichannel capabilities and other strategic priorities during Q4, including adding more labor to support its increased sales levels of fresh food and market-driven wage rate increases, along with incremental appreciation pay and higher equity-based compensation, the release stated.
In February, Albertsons called on DoorDash to handle its express grocery delivery service. Through the partnership, the grocer will benefit from the food delivery giant’s wide reach, with DoorDash being the category leader in the United States.
Read more: DoorDash, Albertsons Launch 30-Minute Grocery Delivery
More than half of all consumers have tried the company’s services, according to data from PYMNTS’ November report “Digital Divide: Aggregators and High-Value Restaurant Customers,” created in collaboration with Paytronix.
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