Tesco said severe winter weather held back its Christmas trading performance as it posted modest sales growth.
The supermarket posted 0.6 per cent like-for-like UK sales growth while overall sales rose 6.2 per cent excluding fuel and at constant currencies in the six weeks to 8 January, with overseas sales adding to modest growth at home.
The 0.6 per cent rise is well below the 3.6 per cent rise posted by rival Sainsbury’s yesterday.
Tesco finance director Laurie McIlwee said bad weather probably reduced underlying UK sales by around one per cent, and that while underlying food sales rose 1.7 per cent, non-food sales fell 1.5 per cent.
Tesco said the heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures particularly hit its non-food goods as customers were unable to travel to their larger stores.
Ceo Terry Leahy said in a trading statement: “The group has continued to make good progress, helped by strong growth across our international businesses, which delivered over half of the group’s growth.
“Our performance remains solid but was hindered in the run up to the important Christmas trading period in the UK by the disruptive effects of the severe winter weather conditions. Our staff and suppliers did a fantastic job in delivering a great shopping trip for customers in difficult circumstances.”
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