Tesco beats rivals in Britain for Christmas sales

Kantar said grocery price inflation reached 3.5% in December, its highest since spring 2020, adding nearly £15 to shoppers' average monthly grocery bills

Some analysts believe it may raise its full-year earnings forecast again when it updates on trading on January 13. Photo: Nick Potts/PA

Tesco, the biggest supermarket group in Britain, outperformed its major rivals over Christmas, achieving its highest grocery market share since January 2018, new industry data showed.

Market researcher Kantar said Tesco's grocery sales in Britain over the 12 weeks to St Stephen's Day fell by almost 1% versus the same period in 2020, when several areas in Britain faced Covid-19 restrictions that boosted food sales. On a two-year basis, Tesco's sales were up by over 10%.