Sainsbury’s warns Iran conflict will hit shoppers as clothing sales show strength

Sainsbury’s has warned that the war in the Middle East will “impact both our customers and our business” and said profits could fall this year as a result.

The UK’s second largest grocery chain echoed the cautious message delivered last week by largest rival Tesco.

Sainsbury’s Chief Executive Simon Roberts said shoppers have become “even more focused on the cost of living” since the conflict started at the end of February.

He stressed that the retailer is committed to ensuring customers get “the best possible value” as a result.

The retailer said it expects an impact from the conflict but that the duration and extent of this remains “very uncertain”.

It said it expects to deliver underlying operating profits of between £975 million and £1.075 billion for the current financial year.

This came as Sainsbury’s told shareholders that it reported a £1.025 billion underlying operating profit for the year to February 28, down 1.1% on the previous year.

Meanwhile, pre-tax profits jumped by 55.3% to £393 million for the year.

The retailer also revealed that group revenues, excluding VAT, rose by 2.7% to £33.6 billion for the year.

Retail sales, excluding fuel, were up 4.3% for the year, boosted by a 5.2% rise in grocery sales on the back of strong volume growth.

Tu Clothing delivered "strong" growth and outperformed the market, with sales rising 4.8%, driven by the strength of its spring/summer ranges, partially offset by unseasonal weather in the latter part of the period.

Improved product availability supported a 6% increase in volume, while online sales grew by more than 20%, highlighting continued digital momentum.

Sales for the Argos business grew by 0.7% to £4.1 billion for the year.

Roberts said: “More and more customers are choosing Sainsbury’s for more of their shopping, trusting us to deliver great value day in, day out.

“The conflict in the Middle East means customers are even more focused on the cost of living and we are absolutely committed to making sure everyone gets the best possible value when they shop with us.”