Associated British Foods (ABF) saw grocery sales increase by 1% on a constant currency basis, in its most recent results for the 16 weeks to 3 January 2026.

The business – which owns a range of food brands, such as Abbott’s Bakery, Jordans and Silver Spoon – said some areas were impacted by ongoing consumer weakness, which led to a drop in the US market.

ABF saw its ingredient sales decrease by 2% on a constant currency basis, while sugar sales went down by 5% on a constant currency basis. While agriculture sales also declined by 4%.

The company said the impact on the cooking oils and bakery ingredients business was worse than expected, resulting in more a cautious financial outlook.

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ABF’s retail sector, Primark, saw its sales increase by 2.7% on a like-for-like basis, despite a globally challenging environment.

George Weston, chief executive of ABF, said: “In a challenging consumer environment, our focus is on factors within our control, including initiatives now underway in Europe aimed at improving performance.

“Our food businesses experienced mixed trading in the period, particularly in the US, where consumer demand in certain categories has continued to weaken. While we expect the tough trading conditions to continue in the short term, we remain confident in the overall prospects for the Group.”

The overall group sales increased by 1% on an actual currency basis and declined by 1% on a constant currency basis.