Sainsbury's second-quarter like-for-likes rise 2% driven by own brand, convenience and online

Total sales rose 4.6% in the 16 weeks to September 28.

Like-for-likes across the first half increased 1.4% while total sales were up 4%.

Extensions to existing Sainsbury’s stores contributed to 0.3% of its like-for-like growth across the half.

Sainsbury’s convenience arm recorded a 20% increase in sales in the second quarter as the warm summer weather drove more frequent top-up shops.  

Its online grocery sales rose 15% and the channel now generates over £1bn in sales.

The grocer’s own-brand offer continued to grow at over twice the rate of branded goods, with Taste the Difference growing “particularly strongly” and By Sainsbury’s performing well following its re-launch.

Over the second quarter, Sainsbury’s opened 31 convenience stores and five new supermarkets, adding 307,000 sq ft to its estate.

Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King said: “We have delivered strong sales over the quarter, continuing to outperform the market in what remains a tough retail environment. We are the only major supermarket to be growing market share. This comes during a quarter in which we also lapped some of our strongest performance during the Paralympic Games last year.”

He added: “Although we are starting to see encouraging signs in key economic indicators, our customers’ approach to savvy shopping, which started at the beginning of the downturn, has persisted and continues to help them to Live Well for Less. By continuing to focus on high quality, unique and innovative own-brand products we are ideally placed to perform well coming into the key Christmas period.”

Sainsbury’s general merchandise and clothing business continued to grow at over twice the rate of its food sales. Sainsbury’s has relaunched its Tu clothing brand into nearly 400 stores in the quarter and “invested in more eye-catching displays and easier to navigate floor layouts”.