Discounter Colruyt posted first-quarter sales up 6.6 per cent to €1.67bn (£1.42bn) against the same period last year.

Sales from the group’s retail business activities climbed 7.3 per cent to €1.28bn (£1.09bn). Wholesale and food service sales jumped 10.4 per cent to €287.5m (£244.4m) as a result of the growth of the Spar operation that it runs in Belgium and the strong development of the retailer’s activities in France.