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| Festive trade cheers Sainsbury's | Festive trade cheers Sainsbury's |
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| Sainsbury's has said it has just had its "best ever Christmas performance", after enjoying strong sales growth in the last three months of 2008. | Sainsbury's has said it has just had its "best ever Christmas performance", after enjoying strong sales growth in the last three months of 2008. |
| Reporting its results for the 13 weeks to 3 January, the supermarket group saw like-for-like sales excluding petrol rise 4.5% from a year earlier. | Reporting its results for the 13 weeks to 3 January, the supermarket group saw like-for-like sales excluding petrol rise 4.5% from a year earlier. |
| Sainsbury's added that 23 December was its busiest ever trading day. | Sainsbury's added that 23 December was its busiest ever trading day. |
| Total sales, which includes new store openings, were up 5.3% compared with the same period a year before. | Total sales, which includes new store openings, were up 5.3% compared with the same period a year before. |
| 'Good progress' | 'Good progress' |
| "The economic environment remains particularly challenging, and we expect this to continue in 2009," said Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King. | "The economic environment remains particularly challenging, and we expect this to continue in 2009," said Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King. |
| "However, our continued investment in price and promotions, along with universal appeal and a wide customer base means we are well positioned to continue our good progress." | "However, our continued investment in price and promotions, along with universal appeal and a wide customer base means we are well positioned to continue our good progress." |
| Sainsbury's like-for-like sales, excluding petrol, were better than market expectations of 3.8%. | Sainsbury's like-for-like sales, excluding petrol, were better than market expectations of 3.8%. |
| The firm said its online sales rose 27% during the quarter, helped by a record number of orders in the week before Christmas. | The firm said its online sales rose 27% during the quarter, helped by a record number of orders in the week before Christmas. |
| Sainsbury's has 509 supermarkets and 276 smaller convenience store outlets, and employs 150,000 people. | Sainsbury's has 509 supermarkets and 276 smaller convenience store outlets, and employs 150,000 people. |