Asda's sales slump as big UK supermarkets struggle

(Adds table, details)

LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) - Sales at Wal-Mart's

British supermarket chain Asda fell 5.1 percent in the

12 weeks to April 24, the worst performance in a period when all

four of the country's big chains saw sales declines, industry

data showed on Wednesday.

Market researcher Kantar Worldpanel said sales at market

leader Tesco (Xetra: 852647 - news) fell 1.3 percent, ending four months of

improvement, while Sainsbury (Amsterdam: SJ6.AS - news) 's and Morrisons

saw falls of 0.4 percent and 2.6 percent respectively.

Prices of groceries in Britain have been declining every

month since September 2014 as the traditional market leaders

fight competition from fast-growing discounters Aldi

and Lidl.

Sainsbury's, Britain's second biggest supermarket, reported

a second straight year of profit decline earlier on Wednesday,

and said it saw no let up in competition.

The fall in sales at Sainsbury's was the first since July

last year, Kantar said.

"This marks the first time that each of the big four has

simultaneously witnessed a drop in sales since April 2015,"

Kantar's Fraser McKevitt said.

Lidl remained Britain's fastest growing supermarket with

sales up 15.4 percent, while sales at bigger rival Aldi rose

12.5 percent.

Market share and sales growth (percent)

12 wks to 12 wks to pct change

April 24 April 26 in sales

2016 2015

Tesco 28.0 28.4 -1.3

Sainsbury's 16.5 16.5 -0.4

Asda 16.0 16.9 -5.1

Morrisons 10.6 10.9 -2.6

Co-operative 6.2 6.0 3.3

Aldi 6.0 5.4 12.5

Waitrose 5.2 5.1 1.5

Lidl 4.4 3.8 15.4

Iceland 2.0 2.1 -2.2

Other multiples 3.2 2.9 10.3

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark

Potter)