Tesco has reported strong UK like for like sales growth of 6.8 per cent in the Christmas period spanning the six weeks to 6 January.

Online sales at the supermarket saw the biggest growth at 9.9 per cent, followed by larger stores and convenience stores at 6.8 and 4.6 per cent respectively.

Adding Tesco’s third quarter, representing the 13 weeks to 25 November, total sales growth for the 19 weeks to 6 January stood at 7.5 per cent.

“We stepped up our investment in service over the key festive period, with more colleagues on the shop floor, helping to deliver market-leading availability and making this our best Christmas yet,” said Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy. “As part of our focus on value, we offered a full Christmas dinner for just £2.09 per person, helping to drive record sales in the weeks leading up to Christmas and further market share gains.”

Murphy also pointed out that Tesco cut nearly 2,700 prices over the period to cement its position as the UK’s cheapest full-line grocer.

Tesco’s financial reporting follows new research from Kantar indicating UK supermarkets saw their highest level of transactions across the festive period since December 2019.

The data and analytics company found that Brits made 488 million trips to supermarkets over the four weeks to 24 December, 12 million more than last year and the largest number at Christmas since before the pandemic.

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