Sainsbury's performed strongly in a 'tough market' during third-quarter trading.
In the 14 weeks to 4 January, like-for-like sales, stripping out the effect of new stores, rose 0.2 per cent excluding fuel -giving the supermarket a 36th consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales growth.
Chief executive Justin King said the seven days before Christmas were the firm's 'busiest ever' trading week, with Sainsbury's stores recording more than 28 million transactions.
Key to the UK's second biggest supermarket's success were its convenience stores, which grew nearly 18 per cent, and online shopping, which witnessed more than 10 per cent growth.
Rival chains Waitrose and the Co-op, meanwhile, also reported rises in sales over the Christmas period.
On a like-for-like measure at the former, sales for the five-week period to Christmas Eve rose 3.1 per cent compared with 2012.
A Waitrose spokesperson said it was a record Christmas period, with a 4.1 per cent rise in sales for the 12 days ending 31 December.
The Co-op also reported rising sales in its food business over the festive season,
In the 13 weeks to 4 January, The Co-op saw its like-for-like sales grow by 1 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier.
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