Overview

• Chancellor Rachel Reeves's budget has increased Sainsbury's costs by £140m due to higher national insurance contributions and business rates.
• Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts states that these additional costs will lead to unavoidable price hikes for consumers.
• The supermarket chain reports strong grocery sales, attributed to a return to office work and a shift towards home dining.
• Despite increased sales, Sainsbury's anticipates inflationary pressures that will affect both its operations and customer prices.
• The company calls on the government to expedite business rate reforms to alleviate the financial burden on retailers.