Olympics help trade

WARM weather and an Olympic “feelgood factor” have boosted UK supermarkets.

Groceries grew 0.3 per cent in the three months to August 14, with ices and chilled drinks up 23 and 10 per cent, says Kantar Worldpanel.

Lidl sales rose 12.2 per cent for a 4.5 per cent market share, while Aldi increased its share to 6.2 per cent after 10.4 per cent higher sales.

Separate Nielsen figures for the four weeks to August 13 showed the value of industry sales up 0.9 per cent on last year.

Nielsen’s Mike Watkins said: “Brexit has been replaced by an Olympic feelgood factor.”