Sainsbury's CEO: Some shoppers are switching to economy brands

The chief executive of Sainsbury's said some shoppers were switching to the British supermarket's economy own-brand products in response to a squeeze on living standards, but they were also trading up to premium ranges for special occasions.

"We are seeing some switching into economy own-label, clearly as we expected, and that's the reason why Sainsbury's quality Aldi-price match is playing such an important role," Simon Roberts told reporters on Tuesday.

"We are also seeing at the same time premium sales remaining resilient."