Sainsbury’s has booked an increase in first-half sales driven by own label growth and the roll out of its convenience stores.
Like-for-like sales excluding fuel in the 16 weeks to 29 September were up 1.7%, the UK retailer reported this morning (3 October).
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Total sales, which includes income from shops that had not been opened by this time last year, were up over the same period by 4%, or 4.1% excluding fuel.
Chief executive Justin King said Sainsbury’s had outperformed the market during a “unique and special summer” and a period of “unseasonal weather”.
The retailer said own label penetration is “increasing at a faster rate than any of the major supermarkets”.
Sainsbury’s opened 49 convenience stores in the first-half, reaching its target of one to two per week.
The group’s online business, it said, “continues to perform strongly” with growth of over 20% year-on-year.
In the second quarter, like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, climbed 1.9%, while total sales were up 4.4%.
Sainsbury’s share price rose 1.9% to 348 pence at 09:20 BST.
