Strong sales and profit growth, with like-for-like figures up 5.7%, boosted by non-food offer.
Sainsbury's reported strong growth in its non-food offer at around 2.5 times the rate of its food ranges. The supermarket giant's interim results for the 28 weeks to October 3 revealed a total sales growth of 7.9%, with like-for-like sales up 5.7%

Sainsbury's, which also recorded a 32.6% increase in pre-tax profit to £342m, has launched its non-food offer online, where it has already experienced a growth of more than 20% in grocery sales.

Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King said: "Sainsbury's has continued to develop its offer to provide customers with a wide product range to suit all needs and budgets. We now have over 18.5 million weekly transactions, 800,000 more than this time last year."