Tesco’s Irish sales fall 3%

Tesco sales in Ireland fell by 3% in the first quarter of 2013 as the impact of the horsemeat scandal hit one of Europe’s largest supermarket chains.

In its quarterly statement Tesco said Ireland had been hit harder then other markets as austerity measures dampened consumers’ spending power.

“In all markets, consumers continue to exercise caution in their shopping habits, as they face the direct impact of a variety of austerity measures linked to the tough economic environment.