Tesco defied tough trading conditions with a 7.6 per cent rise in same-store Christmas sales and said today it was on course to meet analysts' full-year consensus profit forecast.
The British supermarket chain, which has a number of outlets in the Republic, said sales rose 9.3 per cent including petrol in the seven weeks to January 8th.
Group sales rose 13 per cent and total UK sales were up 12.1 per cent.
"The group's strong sales performance means that, despite higher energy and fuel costs and adverse movements in exchange rates, we remain confident that our out-turn for the year will be in line with current market consensus," Tesco said.
Finance Director Mr Andrew Higginson said the consensus pretax profit forecast was £2.027 billion sterling.
Mr Higginson said Tesco expected UK like-for-like sales growth to slow to around 3 to 4 per cent in the coming year, but that international growth would be stronger.
International sales rose 16.1 per cent in the 7 weeks to January 8th.
Mr Higginson confirmed reports that Tesco planned a trial stand-alone non-food store in Britain, but said these plans were "embryonic".