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Sainsbury’s posted record sales of sparkling wine, mince pies and pigs in blankets over Christmas, as sales at the supermarket giant rose 8.6pc over the festive period.
In the six weeks to January 6, Sainsbury’s enjoyed a 13pc jump in sales of Taste the Difference products, as shoppers sought to treat themselves at home.
It comes as Sainsbury’s, the UK’s second-largest supermarket, increased its market share in December from 15.6pc to 15.8pc, according to the most recent Kantar data.
However, while grocery sales were up over the period, trading across general merchandise slipped by 0.9pc across all Sainsbury’s stores, including a 6pc fall in clothing.
Sales were also down 4.2pc in Sainsbury’s Argos outlets.
Sainsbury’s, along with other traditional supermarkets, has been locked in a battle with discounters Aldi and Lidl in recent years after they gained momentum during the cost of living crisis.
This led to Sainsbury’s rolling out a new Nectar Prices offer earlier this year, providing steep discounts for shoppers signed up to its loyalty scheme.
Mr Roberts claimed customers saved an average of £16 over Christmas through the scheme, while it has also expanded the number of products it price matches with Aldi.
Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s chief executive, is hopeful of regaining market share as prices ease.
He said: “We enter 2024 with strong momentum and next month we will share our updated strategy, building on all we’ve done to put food back at the heart of Sainsbury’s over the last three years.”
Last month, Mr Roberts told The Telegraph that traditional supermarkets were seeing a boost as people returned to offices.
He said that people were seeking out shops where they could buy all their groceries in one place, rather than hunting out bargains across multiple stores.
During the pandemic, “customers would have come to us for some products and they might have gone to one of the limited-choice discounters for others,” said Mr Roberts.
Now, people do not have the time to shop around, he said.
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