Sainsbury's has released its trading statement for the second quarter ended 29 September, revealing year-on-year growth in total sales of 4.3 per cent, or 4.4 per cent excluding fuel.
Like-for-like sales for the three-month period grew 1.9 per cent, the group said, while total sales for the first half of the year stood at 4 per cent with six-month like-for-like sales up 1.7 per cent.
'The quarter began with the period immediately following theJubilee celebrations, and was characterised by unseasonal weather,' King continued.'The quarter ended with the Olympic and Paralympic Games, whichunited and inspired the nation. We were delighted to play our partin helping customers celebrate this summer like no other, and areparticularly proud of Sainsbury's association with the ParalympicGames.
'We are seeing the benefit of our ongoing investment in ourown-label ranges, particularly by Sainsbury's, which isgrowing at its strongest rate in recent years, and our Taste TheDifference range, which is seeing near double-digit growth. Our ownlabel penetration is increasing at a faster rate than any of themajor supermarkets; a testament to the investment we have made inthe quality of our products.'
King pointed out that convenience stores had registered strong growth, while the retailer had added 267,000ft2 to its estate through the quarter and had also landed the Supermarket of the Year title at the Retail Industry Awards.
'We expect the challenging economic backdrop to persist, but by helping our customers to Live Well for Less through competitive pricing, targeted promotions, quality own-label products and outstanding customer service, we are positioned to perform well coming into the important Christmas period,' he added.
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