Weekly shop is back at resurgent Tesco

The weekly shop is making a comeback at Tesco, supermarket sales data showed on Tuesday.

The grocery giant’s sales were buoyed by its Extra superstores, Kantar Worldpanel said, helping the grocer to be joint first with rival Morrisons as the fastest- growing among the Big Four supermarkets. They both logged a 2.7% increase over the 12-week period to February 24.

“The varied selection of groceries on offer at these larger stores has encouraged customers to return to fuller trolley shops, with average baskets worth £31.09 — currently the highest value in the bricks-and-mortar market,” said Fraser McKevitt of Kantar.

Tesco had blamed a slowdown at its larger, out-of-town stores as it grappled with tumbling profits under former boss Philip Clarke. He enacted a failed strategy to fill unprofitable space with restaurants and retailers.

Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl are also on form. Aldi retained its crown as the fastest-growing supermarket as sales grew 13.9% compared with 13.3% at Lidl.

Total grocery sales were up 3.2% — the 12th straight period of growth of more than 3% — as a greater number of shoppers gorged on Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year ready meals at home, Kantar said.