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(Sharecast News) - German discount supermarket chain Lidl posted a large sharp rise in sales at its UK division over Christmas, driven by shoppers hunting for bargain party food and drink over the festive period.
The company, owned by Schwarz retail group, on Thursday said sales increased 7% year-on-year, with turnover passing the 1bn mark for the first time over the four weeks to December 24 - a record for the festive period.
Customers piled in to buy more than 16 million "pigs in blankets"(sausages wrapped in bacon) and eight million stuffing balls over the period. The company added that sales were also supported by strong demand for its affordable party food, with sales of its Partytime range jumping by 32%.
Champagne sales fizzed, growing 25% for the period.
Analysts at research company Kantar last month reported that Lidl was the fastest growing bricks-and-mortar grocer over the past quarter, as it closes in on Morrisons' position as the UK's fifth largest supermarket group.
Lidl was the fastest growing bricks-and-mortar grocer in the year to end-November, with sales up 6.6% year-on-year, Kantar added.
Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com
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