Sales, excluding petrol, rose 1.8% in the three months to the end of June partly thanks to a boost from Easter trading. B&Q and Homebase sales hammered by bad weather Read moreAsda said trading was particularly strong over Easter, with sales up 16%. Adjusting for the timing of the holiday, sales at established stores were up by 0.7% on the same period last year. But Walmart’s figures indicated that Asda’s sales rise had partly been at the expense of profits, with operating income and gross margins down during the quarter. All the “big four” grocers - Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons - have suffered from upheaval in the industry in recent years.

Source: The Guardian August 17, 2017 12:17 UTC