J Sainsbury said first-quarter like-for-like sales excluding fuel rose 2.1% in the 16 weeks to June 20, 2026, compared with 3.1% growth in the previous quarter. Total retail sales excluding fuel increased 2.7% to 9.153 billion pounds.
Sales at the Sainsbury’s business rose 3.1% to 8.041 billion pounds, including a 3.6% increase in grocery sales to 7.603 billion pounds. General merchandise and clothing sales fell 3.7% to 438 million pounds, while Argos sales declined 0.5% to 1.114 billion pounds. Argos volumes rose 2.2%, which the company said reflected a mix toward lower-priced items and pricing pressure.
Sainsbury said customers remained focused on value and highlighted its Aldi Price Match program and Nectar Prices offers, which cover about 11,000 products. The company also said it added 5,000 products through Supplier Direct Fulfilled in the quarter, taking the total to 26,000, and that it plans to launch its marketplace later in the financial year.
Sainsbury said it remains on track to deliver 1 billion pounds of cost savings over the three years to March 2027 while continuing to reinvest in technology and infrastructure.