Sainsbury’s clothing sales grow amid ongoing transformation
Sainsbury’s store Credits: Sainsbury’s Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has reported a growth in its clothing sales for the year ended 1 March 2025, as its ongoing Next Level transformation plan continues to roll out. The category’s sales, which includes that of its own brand Tu Clothing, rose 2.9 percent over the year, driven by a 12.3 percent uptick in the fourth quarter. The company said that higher full price sales participation for clothing had delivered a 4 percent improvement in profitability during the year, alongside “market share gains”. “Our renewed focus on design and range in womenswear resulted in particularly strong sales growth of nearly 5 percent,” Sainsbury’s added. The retailer further noted that there had also been an improvement in customer perception of its collections on the back of an expansion to its basic range and efforts to improve availability. Sainsbury’s as a whole posted FY sales of 26.6 billion pounds, reflecting an increase of 4.2 percent. This came on the heels of a 4.1 percent uptick in group fourth quarter sales. Over the reported year, the company also grew its retail underlying operating profit by 7.2 percent to 1.036 million pounds, which was partially offset by lower profits at Argos. Statutory profit after tax, meanwhile, amounted to 242 million pounds, increasing 77 percent. Looking ahead for 2025/2026, Sainsbury’s said that its “four years of exceptional progress and investment” has put it in a “strong competitive position” which it intends to sustain for the coming year. The company is thus expecting a retail underlying operating profit of around one billion pounds, with a retail free cash flow of more than 500 million pounds. Sainsbury’s concluded: “Profit delivery will be supported by continued growth in Nectar profit contribution and industry-leading cost saving delivery and will be weighted more towards the second half versus last year, reflecting the timing of benefits from space reallocation activity and new store openings.”
Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has reported a growth in its clothing sales for the year ended 1 March 2025, as its ongoing Next Level transformation plan continues to roll out. The category’s sales, which includes that of its own brand Tu Clothing, rose 2.9 percent over the year, driven by a 12.3 percent uptick in the fourth quarter.
The company said that higher full price sales participation for clothing had delivered a 4 percent improvement in profitability during the year, alongside “market share gains”. “Our renewed focus on design and range in womenswear resulted in particularly strong sales growth of nearly 5 percent,” Sainsbury’s added. The retailer further noted that there had also been an improvement in customer perception of its collections on the back of an expansion to its basic range and efforts to improve availability.
Sainsbury’s as a whole posted FY sales of 26.6 billion pounds, reflecting an increase of 4.2 percent. This came on the heels of a 4.1 percent uptick in group fourth quarter sales. Over the reported year, the company also grew its retail underlying operating profit by 7.2 percent to 1.036 million pounds, which was partially offset by lower profits at Argos. Statutory profit after tax, meanwhile, amounted to 242 million pounds, increasing 77 percent.
Looking ahead for 2025/2026, Sainsbury’s said that its “four years of exceptional progress and investment” has put it in a “strong competitive position” which it intends to sustain for the coming year. The company is thus expecting a retail underlying operating profit of around one billion pounds, with a retail free cash flow of more than 500 million pounds.
Sainsbury’s concluded: “Profit delivery will be supported by continued growth in Nectar profit contribution and industry-leading cost saving delivery and will be weighted more towards the second half versus last year, reflecting the timing of benefits from space reallocation activity and new store openings.”
