Sainsbury's reports record-breaking Christmas sales

Wednesday, 11 January 2012 08:15

Sainsbury’s continue the next instalment of the big four supermarket’s Christmas trading results with a successful set of figures.

Like-for-like sales increased by 4.8 per cent in the 14 weeks to January and included Sainsbury’s best ever set of Christmas sales. Sainsbury’s report is for the whole quarter and includes the whole of October and November when consumers were scaling back spending.

Justin King, Chief Executive, said: “This was a strong quarter, rounded off by our best Christmas ever, despite the economic backdrop.”

Sainsbury’s reported 26 million customer transactions in the Christmas week, 1.5 million more than the same period last year. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range grew by more than ten per cent in the quarter and the supermarket sold more than £2 million of turkeys and nearly 50,000 Taste the Difference Christmas puddings.

The trading statement also revealed growth in the supermarkets “basics” range. Non-food sales saw higher growth than food, helped by clothing sales. Online sales grew by nearly 20 per cent with Sainsbury’s making 160,000 deliveries per week over the Christmas period.

Sales growth in the third quarter, both including and excluding fuel grew by roughly the same rate as seen in the previous two quarters of 2011. Like-for-like sales growth including fuel rose by 4.8 per cent and like-for-like sales excluding fuel grew by 2.1 per cent.

Justin King sounded a note of caution for 2012, saying: “Consistent with trends over the past year, we expect customers to spend cautiously in 2012, particularly in the first few months as they tighten their belts post Christmas.”

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