UK supermarket giant Tesco recorded very strong sales growth across its business in the UK and Ireland during the COVID-19 lockdown, hitting £12.2bn (€13.5bn). First quarter trading figures released by Tesco for the 13-week period to the end of May show that like-for-like sales at its UK stores surged almost 9% to just under £10bn (€11bn).

Like-for-like sales at Tesco’s Irish stores were even more impressive, with sales up 20.5% in the first quarter to £697m (€770m). The UK supermarket said shopping frequency plunged 32% in that period, but average basket sizes increased by almost two thirds (+64%), reflecting the spike in panic-buying at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Tesco said it invested £4m to more than double its online sales capacity to 1.3m slots per week in just a five week period

Tesco said it also saw a massive 50% increase in online sales in the UK and Ireland during the lockdown. The retailer said online sales grew by £2bn and accounted for a recorded 16% of total sales for its first quarter.

Tesco said it invested £4m to more than double its online sales capacity to 1.3m slots per week in just a five week period. “In just five weeks, we doubled our online capacity,” said Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis.

While online sales soared, Tesco said it was a mixed picture for its wholesale business, Booker. Unsurprisingly, Booker’s sales to catering customers plunged 32% during the quarter. This was somewhat offset by a 24% increase in wholesales to smaller retailers.

Booker’s food logistics business also saw a 70% collapse in business with the shut down of the food service sector.