Sainsbury's Delivers Good Sales Performance in Challenging Market

Total sales for the first half up 7.6 per cent (4.3 per cent excluding fuel). Like-for-like sales for first half up 5.1 per cent (1.9 per cent excluding fuel).

Oct 5 2011 --- UK retailer Sainsbury’s has reported that total sales for second quarter were up 7.8 per cent (4.4 per cent excluding fuel). Like-for-like sales for second quarter up 5.4 per cent (1.9 per cent excluding fuel). Total sales for the first half up 7.6 per cent (4.3 per cent excluding fuel). Like-for-like sales for the first half were up 5.1 per cent (1.9 per cent excluding fuel).

Justin King, Chief Executive, said: "We have delivered a good sales performance in a tough consumer environment. Total sales for the quarter were up 7.8 per cent, with like-for-like sales up 5.4 per cent. Excluding fuel, total sales for the quarter were up 4.4 per cent, with like-for-like sales up 1.9 per cent and two-year like-for-like growth of 4.7 per cent.”

"This quarter we launched 'Live Well For Less', which re-affirms our commitment to providing customers with fantastic quality products at great prices. The re-launch of our 'by Sainsbury's' range is well under way, with over 3,000 new or improved lines already in store. 'by Sainsbury's' offers customers the same or better quality as the branded equivalent at prices typically at least 20 per cent lower, with no compromise on the values our customers trust. Our innovative new products such as our Mexican ready-meal range are proving extremely popular. At the same time, our premium 'Taste the Difference' range, which we re-launched last year, and our economy 'basics' range both saw strong growth.”

"Fuel prices continue to impact customers’ disposable income and put pressure on household budgets. Our market-leading petrol offers, combined with strong promotions and competitive pricing on branded goods, ensure our customers can enjoy great value without compromising on the high quality Sainsbury’s fresh food and own label products they love. Through 'Live Well For Less' we are demonstrating to customers that they need look no further than Sainsbury’s to solve the challenges of their grocery shopping.”