Tesco plans to open four new Irish stores, including large supermarkets and further Express outlets, in the coming months.
Interim results published on Wednesday by the British grocer showed it has plans to add a further 60,000 sq ft of Irish retail space before February next year.
A spokeswoman for Tesco, which opened nine new Irish stores in the past 12 in months, told The Irish Times that the expansion would include two new superstores in Donegal Town and Clongriffin in Dublin.
She added that new Express stores will also be opened in Montpelier in Dublin and Ballincollig in Cork.
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The company’s latest results showed sales at Tesco’s Irish business rose in the first half of the year, driven by growth in its fresh and packaged food offering.
Tesco, which claims a 24.1 per cent share of the Irish grocery market, said strong like-for-like sales growth of 4.1 per cent was driven by volume increases. Total sales growth of 6.7 per cent was driven by a contribution from new space.
Like-for-like sales in its food business grew 4.4 per cent compared with the same period in 2025, with the company’s Tesco Finest sales rising almost 13 per cent year on year.
The company’s online business also surged, growing by close to 12 per cent, lifted by the wider roll-out of its Whoosh same-day delivery service to more stores in the second half of 2025.
Non-food sales were up 1.5 per cent on a like-for-like basis.
The wider Tesco group lifted the bottom end of its full-year profit outlook on Thursday after reporting a 6.5 per cent increase for its first half, even as a very hot summer weighed on sales volumes across the industry.
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The group said it made an adjusted operating profit of £1.78 billion for the 26 weeks to August 29th, on sales, excluding VAT sales tax and fuel, up 2 per cent to £33.8 billion.
UK like-for-like sales for the half rose 1.5 per cent, having been up 1.8 per cent in the first quarter.
Monthly industry data has shown Tesco lost a little market share in the second quarter. However, it was up against a tough comparative performance in the same quarter last year when UK like-for-like sales rose 4.6 per cent, helped by disruption at competitors Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Asda.
The conflict in the Middle East, and its impact on energy prices, also created uncertainty for many households during the first half.
Tesco, whose shares have risen 8 per cent so far this year, is now forecasting adjusted operating profit of £3.15 billion to £3.3 billion for its year to end-February 2027, versus previous guidance of £3 billion to £3.3 billion and the £3.152 billion made in 2025/26. – Additional reporting: Reuters
