Total sales at Netto rose 11 per cent for the 2007 calendar year.

The number of shoppers visiting the discount supermarket chain jumped 12.4 per cent, with more than 11 million shoppers passing through Netto’s doors in December alone.

Netto UK managing director Richard Lancaster said: “This tangible growth in customer numbers proves that UK consumers are increasingly receptive to our unrivalled combination of price, quality and choice.”

Netto sold a record 1.8 million mince pies in the run-up to Christmas and sold double the number of Turkey crowns than it did the previous year.

Lancaster said: “More and more people are discovering that Netto is changing, but our focus on price and quality remains constant. Christmas provided us with the ideal opportunity to show shoppers that they didn’t need to trade up to other supermarkets to purchase their festive treats. We extended our range of premium own-label products from mince pies and Christmas puddings to luxury crackers, all of which proved hugely popular.”

Netto wants to open a minimum of 25 supermarkets over the next 12 months. The first store will open on January 31 at Oldham in Lancashire.