UK grocery retail group Somerfield has said it achieved positive like-for-like sales growth in both its Somerfield and Kwik Save fascias in the first quarter, but said sales had been dented by the UK’s poor summer weather.
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The company said that for the first quarter to 14 August, group like-for-like sales rose 1.1% despite the effects of weak sales for July and August in the food retail sector.
Somerfield like-for-like sales for the 16-week period rose 1.3% from the same period of last year, boosted by the company’s store refit programme.
“Trading conditions in the last two months saw like-for-like sales decline by 0.8%. Sales of seasonal lines, for example, ice cream, beers, carbonates and barbecue products declined substantially compared with last year. In recent weeks, sales of these lines are back to normal,” the company said.
Like-for-like sales at Kwik Save rose 1.0% for the quarter. Somerfield said Kwik Save experienced similar seasonal conditions whereby like-for-like sales in the last two months declined by 1.0%.
