Morrisons like-for-like sales have grown by 8.1% without fuel meaning the supermarket chain outstripped Tesco in the third quarter.
Tesco's results in the UK, excluding petrol, showed like-for-like sales rose by only 2%, when they were announced earlier this week.

Morrisons, on the other hand, said this morning in the 13 weeks to November 2 total sales excluding fuel were up by 9.5% (14.9% including fuel) of which 1.4% was a contribution from new space, like-for-like sales including fuel grew by 13.3%.

Chief executive, Marc Bolland, said:
"In this challenging economic environment more customers than ever before are choosing Morrisons. Our industry-leading deals and unique fresh food offer have attracted over seven hundred thousand new customers to our stores".

Morrisons also announced a conditional agreement with the Co-operative Group to buy more than half a millionsq ft of selling space with the purchase of 38 Co-op food stores and former Somerfield stores costing of £223.1m.

The move hinges on the successful purchase of Somerfield by the Co-op.