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| Morrisons' sales recovery continues | Morrisons' sales recovery continues |
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| Morrisons supermarket has reported a second quarter of rising sales as it continues to cut costs and prices. | Morrisons supermarket has reported a second quarter of rising sales as it continues to cut costs and prices. |
| The UK's fourth-largest supermarket said like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, rose 0.7% in the three months to 1 May compared with a year earlier. | The UK's fourth-largest supermarket said like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, rose 0.7% in the three months to 1 May compared with a year earlier. |
| Morrisons said prices were down 2.6% from a year earlier as the supermarket price war continued. | Morrisons said prices were down 2.6% from a year earlier as the supermarket price war continued. |
| Chief executive David Potts, who has now been in charge for a year, said there was "still much to do". | Chief executive David Potts, who has now been in charge for a year, said there was "still much to do". |
| But he added he was encouraged by the progress being made by the company following a long period of declining sales and profits, which led to the resignation of former chief executive Dalton Philips at the start of last year. | But he added he was encouraged by the progress being made by the company following a long period of declining sales and profits, which led to the resignation of former chief executive Dalton Philips at the start of last year. |
| "Customers are responding and satisfaction levels remain ahead of last year. We are of course pleased with a second consecutive quarter of positive like-for-like sales, which demonstrates our aim to stabilise trade is taking effect," he said. | "Customers are responding and satisfaction levels remain ahead of last year. We are of course pleased with a second consecutive quarter of positive like-for-like sales, which demonstrates our aim to stabilise trade is taking effect," he said. |
| Total sales fell 1.8% after Morrison's closed unprofitable supermarkets and sold its convenience stores. | Total sales fell 1.8% after Morrison's closed unprofitable supermarkets and sold its convenience stores. |
| It added that sales in its Food to Go sandwich and convenience foods range rose 17% in the quarter. | |
| The Morrisons figures come a day after Sainsbury's reported a fall in annual profits as a result of lower food prices. | The Morrisons figures come a day after Sainsbury's reported a fall in annual profits as a result of lower food prices. |
| Food price deflation has been prompted, at least in part, by intense competition between the "big four" supermarkets and so-called discounters such as Aldi and Lidl, which have been gaining market share in recent years. | Food price deflation has been prompted, at least in part, by intense competition between the "big four" supermarkets and so-called discounters such as Aldi and Lidl, which have been gaining market share in recent years. |
| Sainsbury's said underlying profits, which strip out one-off charges, fell to £587m for the year to 12 March. That was down from £681m in the previous year. | Sainsbury's said underlying profits, which strip out one-off charges, fell to £587m for the year to 12 March. That was down from £681m in the previous year. |
| In March, Morrisons reported underlying pre-tax profits of £242m in the year to 31 January, down from £345m a year earlier. | In March, Morrisons reported underlying pre-tax profits of £242m in the year to 31 January, down from £345m a year earlier. |