Tesco makes £69 a second

Tesco half-year profits have soared 10.3 per cent to £1.09bn - around £69 a second.

The UK’s number one supermarkets chain saw its overall sales rise 12.7 per cent in the six months to August 26, with profits at its overseas businesses providing a major fillip, rising 21.1 per cent.

Tesco sales are growing three times faster outside the UK than within the UK. However, good summer weather also helped the firm in the UK, with second-quarter sales growing 6.6 per cent compared with 4.5 per cent in the first quarter.

Profits of Tesco.com also continued to show strong growth, up 43.1 per cent in the period.

Chief executive Sir Terry Leahy told the BBC: "The growth is coming across the board because customers are choosing Tesco.”