Tesco, Sainsbury’s and M&S have taken a look back at trading during the third quarter, reporting increased sales as a result of the Christmas period.
Over the 13 weeks to 22nd November 2025 and the following six weeks to 3rd January 2026, Tesco reported a 3.7% increase in like-for-like sales. Over the Christmas period, sales were up 3.2% on the year.
The retailer said it had achieved a “standout performance” in fresh food, with like-for-like sales up 6.6%, while it reported online sales growth of 11.2% including extended Christmas Eve deliveries.
Its market share gains were up 41 basis points to 24%, its fourth consecutive year of market share gains over the period.
Ken Murphy, CEO of Tesco, commented: “I am delighted with the strong Christmas we delivered for our customers. Our investments in value, quality and service drove further gains in customer satisfaction and strong growth in fresh food, contributing to our highest UK market share in over a decade.
“In addition to further strengthening our price position, we launched 340 new and improved own-brand Christmas products including 180 in Finest, which once again delivered double-digit sales growth. We also recruited 28,500 additional colleagues for the festive period and offered an extra 100,000 online delivery slots in the week before Christmas, enabled by AI-powered scheduling tools developed by our technology and logistics teams. Online sales grew double-digit and Whoosh also performed strongly, with more than 250,000 new customers over the period.
“Competition is as intense as ever and we know value remains a priority for customers. We are determined to help customers make their money go further, and earlier this week expanded our Everyday Low Prices commitment to over 3,000 branded products, sitting alongside Aldi Price Match on more than 650 lines and thousands of exclusive offers through Clubcard Prices.”
Following a “strong” Christmas performance, Tesco said it now expects to deliver FY 25/26 Group adjusted operating profit at the upper end of the £2.9 billion to £3.1 billion guidance range it issued in October.
Sainsbury’s sees “record-breaking” performance across convenience food
In the 16 weeks to 3rd January, which included the Christmas period of the six weeks to 3rd January, Sainsbury’s reported a 4.9% rise on the year in sales. In its grocery category, it achieved a 5.4% rise on the year.
Looking at fresh food sales, Sainsbury’s reported a rise of 8% on the year, and its Taste the Difference fresh food sales grew by 15%.
The retailer also described a “record-breaking performance” in its convenience category, highlighting “particularly strong” growth in Fresh categories as customers shopped for last-minute essentials on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.
Simon Roberts, chief executive of J Sainsbury plc, said: “We have won grocery market share for the sixth consecutive Christmas period, again delivering our winning combination of value, quality, service and availability for customers. When we strengthened our profit guidance in November, we said we planned to invest in the strength of our competitive position through the most important trading period of the year. We expected the market to become more competitive with customers spending more carefully and we invested in balanced choices to offer great value for money, outstanding quality and innovation and leading customer service and availability, both in store and online.
“More customers switched to Sainsbury’s, trusting us for both great value essentials and premium Taste the Difference products in their big Christmas shop and we were the only major grocer to grow items in the basket. We gave customers great value on a bigger range of products this year and more customers benefited from personalised Your Nectar Prices, available to every supermarket shopper for the first time. Fresh food sales grew by 8% and Taste the Difference was the fastest growing Premium Own Label brand in the market, with our best ever ranges of Christmas innovation driving Taste the Difference Fresh sales growth of 15%.”
Looking forward, Sainsbury’s said it expects to deliver retail underlying operating profit of more than £1 billion.
M&S hits “new market share milestone”
During the 13 weeks to 27th December 2025, Marks & Spencer (M&S) reported that its food underlying sales increased 6.6%, with like-for-like sales up 5.6% and UK volume growth of 2.3%.
In November its market share reached 4%, and M&S said that “strong operational execution and the sell-through of Christmas hero lines” resulted in higher sales and lower markdown and waste versus the prior year.
Ocado Retail sales increased 13.7%, driven by volume growth of 10.7% and order growth of 11.0%. M&S sales on Ocado.com increased by 16.3% and accounted for around 30% of total Ocado Retail sales.
Stuart Machin, chief executive of M&S, said: “A record number of customers shopped M&S this Christmas. From the festive food shop, to picking up party outfits and gifts, millions more trusted M&S to deliver the family Christmas.
“Food sales were strong and the business continues to outperform, hitting a new market share milestone in the period. We are the UK’s fastest growing grocer for families, reflecting our investment in value and core family staples, and demonstrating progress in our journey to become a shopping list retailer.
“We enter this new calendar year full of ambition and laser focused on our plan to reshape M&S for further growth. In food, we have even more first to market innovation coming and further investment in quality and price.”
