UK grocery retailer and takeover target Safeway has reported a dip in first-quarter sales as it struggled to hang on to customers amid an uncertain future.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The company said like-for-like sales fell 0.6% in the first quarter to late June, while total sales rose 1.1%.


Safeway said first-quarter profit would be in line with last year’s level.


The retailer’s CEO, Carlos Criado-Perez, said he expects Safeway’s sales performance to “continue to be stable” as the financial year progresses, reported Dow Jones International News.


He said Safeway has cut back on brand investment and advertising, as it works to increase the amount that customers spend in-store.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact