The British supermarket group Sainsbury has had a lower quarter. Sales dropped compared to a year earlier, underlining the need for Sainsbury to freshen up its stores.

Comparable sales excluding gasoline and diesel sales at the gas stations fell by 1.6 percent and total retail sales fell by 0.6 percent. According to Sainsbury, this is partly due to the bad weather. In the comparable period last year it was very hot. The British also bought extra money because of the World Cup and the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Earlier this year, Sainsbury was faced with a major setback when the planned merger with Walmart subsidiary Asda did not receive approval from the UK competition authorities. The merger could lead to higher prices at shops and gas stations, among others. The super has since announced a major store renewal. In addition, 400 branches are being refreshed, with technological improvements and a wider range of cosmetics. Sainsbury also wants to attract customers with price reductions and more extensive web activities.