Sainsbury’s set for ‘strong’ profit growth despite latest deliveries glitch

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sainsbury’s has said it expects to deliver “strong” profit growth over the year ahead after cheering surging food sales by reining prices to help win customers from rivals. We know it’s still tough out there for so many households and we’re doing all we can to save money right across our business to keep prices low Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s Sainsbury’s said the problems were now resolved and only affected a “small number” of customers. In its full-year figures, the UK’s second-biggest grocery chain said total grocery sales increased 7.3 per cent in the fourth quarter and 9.4 per cent over the year, as it saw sales by volume pick up as inflation eased back. He said: “We said we’d put food back at the heart of Sainsbury’s and that’s what we’ve done.” Mr Roberts added: “We know it’s still tough out there for so many households and we’re doing all we can to save money right across our business to keep prices low – we have reduced 4,000 products over the last year alone.” The figures come less than two months after Sainsbury’s said it would axe around 1,500 jobs under plans to cut costs by about £1bn a year.