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London: Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, sounded a warning to rivals on Tuesday, saying it was taking market share in non-food ranges such as televisions and beauty products, as it met third-quarter sales forecasts.
The supermarket group, which runs over 3,200 stores across the world, also said its new 'Fresh & Easy' US shops had been "very well received by customers" since their launch last month.
Tesco said sales, excluding fuel, at UK stores open at least a year, rose 4.1 per cent in the 13 weeks to November 24, boosted by a strong performance from its catalogue-based homewares business Tesco Direct and its Internet grocery site.
This was up from 2.4 per cent in the second quarter and compared with analysts' forecasts of 3.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent, according to a poll of five brokerages. Total sales were up 11.8 per cent, including a 25.7 per cent rise in international sales.
Britain's retailers are struggling as indebted shoppers cut back on spending following interest rate rises and surging fuel costs. The British Retail Consortium said on Tuesday sales rose just 1.2 per cent in value in November versus a year earlier.
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