Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, posted a 4.3 per cent rise in underlying first-quarter British sales, showing a pick up in growth from the previous quarter but still lagging its main rivals.
The supermarket group, which employs around 470,000 people in over 4,300 stores in 14 countries, said today group sales rose 9.7 per cent including petrol in the 13 weeks to May 30th, including a 20.1 per cent rise in international sales at actual exchange rates, or 11.4 per cent at constant rates.
Tesco operates over 100 outlets in the Republic and accounted for under international sales. Although Tesco did not mention the Irish market specifically, the retailer it had made market share gains in this unit due to price reductions.
Earlier this year Tesco reduced prices on some of its products in its stores close to the Border in a bid to stem the loss of revenue from shoppers heading North.
Analysts had expected sales at British stores open at least a year to rise 4.3 per cent, excluding fuel and VAT sales tax, up from 3.7 per cent the previous quarter.