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Sainsburys benefits from focus on healthy food
Supermarket records seventh quarter of like-for-like growth
Sainsburys is reaping the rewards of its focus on fresh foods with like-for-like sales of growth 6.6% (excluding petrol) in the 16 weeks to 7 October.
It is the seventh consecutive quarter in which the supermarket has reported like-for-like gains.
Chief executive, Justin King, said: "We have continued our good sales performance during the second quarter of the year and have benefited from spells of good weather and the focus this places on fresh and healthy food."
King said Sainsburys Try Something New Today campaign, launched a year ago, has strengthened the brand's heritage and focus on fresh, healthy and tasty food.
"We have continued to develop and improve our product ranges and customers have responded overwhelmingly to our Try ideas, trying a range of new and exciting products," he said.
During the period, Sainsburys relaunched its premium range, Taste the Difference, introducing 250 new products and bringing the total range to 1,100 lines.
The supermarkets traffic light nutritional label, the Wheel of Health, now appears on Taste the Difference products and is being introduced onto our Basic products at the beginning of next year.
King said there had been significant pressure on prices in the quarter but for the first half, Sainsburys prices were, in total, at the same level as the first half last year. "Our good sales performance continues to enable us to invest in our offer as we are committed to improving our competitive position," he said.
In the first half Sainsburys extended five, downsized one and refurbished 32 supermarkets and opened seven new stores, including four acquired from Somerfield, which opened last week. Five additional supermarkets also acquired from Somerfield will open before Christmas. The retailer introduced a non-food range into 31 supermarkets following successful trials. In the convenience sector it opened 10 stores and refurbished and converted a further 37.
"Placing our priority on food, we believe Sainsburys offers customers a different proposition to that of our major competitors," said King. "We believe the market will remain highly competitive but our performance in the first half has given us good momentum as we enter the important Christmas trading period."
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