Market researcher Kantar Worldpanel said Sainsbury's sales grew 6.2 percent in the period, giving it a market share of 16.9 percent. Tesco's grew 1.1 percent as the wider market grew 3.9 percent, while Morrison's sales fell 1.0 percent. Sales at No. 2 grocer Asda rose 3.8 percent.
Earlier this month, Sainsbury's beat forecasts for fourth-quarter underlying sales, while Morrison's posted its first profit fall in six years.
Kantar also highlighted a continued squeeze on moderately priced supermarket brands, with up-market grocer Waitrose and discounter Aldi holding on to record shares of 4.8 percent and 3.3 percent respectively.
"Continued pressure on household budgets has helped Aldi, Lidl and Iceland to record market-beating growth while Waitrose and Sainsbury's have managed to mostly avoid adverse media coverage from the horsemeat scandal," said Kantar analyst Fraser McKevitt.
A horsemeat scandal erupted across Europe's food industry in January when testing in Ireland revealed that some beef products also contained equine DNA.
Tesco said on March 12 it had withdrawn a line of frozen meatloaf after it tested positive for between 2 to 5 percent horsemeat.
Kantar said grocery inflation was 4.2 percent for the 12-week period.
Market share (percent)
| 12 wks to March 17 | 12 wks to March 18 | pct change in sales | |
| 2013 | 2012 | ||
| Tesco | 29.4 | 30.2 | 1.1 |
| Asda | 17.9 | 17.9 | 3.8 |
| Sainsbury | 16.9 | 16.6 | 6.2 |
| Morrison | 11.7 | 12.3 | -1 |
| Co-operative | 6.2 | 6.5 | -0.3 |
| Waitrose | 4.8 | 4.4 | 12.5 |
| Aldi | 3.3 | 2.6 | 30.8 |
| Lidl | 2.9 | 2.7 | 10.5 |
| Iceland | 2.1 | 2 | 8.7 |
