Sainsbury’s has reported its first rise in like-for-like first-quarter sales in over two years, prompting the group’s chief executive, Mike Coupe, to describe the result as a “strong performance” in the face of continuing tough market competition.
“The market will remain competitive as food deflation continues to impact sales growth,” said Mr Coupe (pictured above). “We are progressing well with our quality investment in 3,000 own-brand products, however, and have maintained our market share in the quarter.”
While the much-celebrated sales growth only amounted of an extra 0.1% in the three months to March 12, 2016, it was still seen as a vast improvement on the supermarket’s 0.4% fall in like-for-like sales, recorded over Christmas 2015.
Mr Coupe also commented that Sainsbury’s will continue to “simply” its trading strategy, going forward, in favour of lower regular prices.
The supermarket is a 100% supporter of British pork, sourcing all its offering from domestic producers, according to the latest Porkwatch figures.
In terms of other pigmeat products, Sainsbury’s ham is 96% British while its sausages are 86% British. The supermarket does have a sourcing weak point in relation to bacon products, however, which are only 39% British, a figure beaten by Waitrose, M&S, Tesco, The Cooperative, Morrisons and Budgens.
