Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Sainsbury's, Tesco and Evans Cycles

Grocery market booms as heat wave drives sales

The heat wave has driven a boom in fresh food and drink sales with Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Aldi enjoying strong growth.

Food retail sales grew 6% in the four weeks to July 20 as the grocers enjoyed growth which was almost twice that achieved during the London 2012 Olympics, according to Nielsen.

Aldi enjoyed the strongest growth with sales up 30.9%, Waitrose rose 14.5%, Marks & Spencer was up 11.3% and Sainsbury’s 8%.

National Farmers’ Union supports Sainsbury’s in Tesco price-matching row

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has come out in support of Sainsbury’s in its row with Tesco over its Price Promise promotion. The NFU’s director of policy Martin Haworth, said it is “wrong and misleading” to compare the price of ham from Europe with ham produced in the UK, The Guardian reported.

The NFU’s comments come as a blow to Tesco as it seeks to develop its relations with British farmers. The company recently hired Tom Hind, the corporate affairs director at the NFU, to become its director of agriculture.

Retail Week yesterday revealed Sainsbury’s is considering appealing the ASA’s decision in favour of Tesco.

Evans Cycles reveals 5% EBITDA fall as it improves online offer

Evans Cycles recorded a 5% EBITDA fall in its full-year figures, as it plans to improve its online offer to cater for increasing overseas customers this year.

In the year to November 3, EBITDA fell to £200,000 to £3.9m, which Evans Cycles chief executive Nick Wilkinson described as “broadly flat”.