Sainsbury’s was the only Big Four supermarket to show growth for the 12 weeks to 6 December 2015, up 1.2% to achieve a market share of 16.7%.

According to the figures from Kantar Worldpanel, sales for Tesco and Asda both fell 3.4% and Morrisons fell 2%, allowing Sainsbury’s to maintain the position of second-largest supermarket behind Tesco, which it attained last month. However, Tesco and Asda did manage to grow their online sales.

Aldi and Lidl, the German discounters, maintained the combined 10% market share they achieved last month, with sales up on this time last year by 15.4% and 17.9% respectively.

Waitrose and The Co-operative had a good 12 weeks, up 2.7% and 2.0% respectively. However, Iceland suffered a set-back with a 1.5% drop in sales.

These figures are set against a backdrop of a meagre 0.1% increase in grocery sales and grocery deflation, which now stands at -1.9%, reflecting deflation in key areas such as eggs, butter and bread and the response of the traditional grocers to the discounters low prices.

Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, said: “Despite the difficult market conditions, Sainsbury’s increased sales by 1.2%, growing across its convenience, supermarket and online businesses and increasing its market share to 16.7%.

“Consumers continue to be drawn to the retailer’s ‘Taste the Difference’ range and, with sales of champagne and sparkling wine up by a quarter, it seems clear that the grocer is successfully tapping into demand for premium goods. Sainsbury’s recent run of success predates its popular ‘Mog’s Christmas Calamity’ advert, with the retailer now having grown ahead of the market for three months in a row.”