Booker Group has reported group sales up 4% year on year and like for likes up 4.2% in a first-quarter trading update.

Charles Wilson, Booker chief executive, said non-tobacco like-for-like sales grew 9.6%, helped by favourable weather and the late Easter.

Wilson said changes in tobacco legislation continued to adversely impact like-for-like tobacco sales – down 7.9%, and 8.2% lower overall.

He described the 12 weeks to 16 June as “solid for customer satisfaction and cash profit”.

Premier continued to grow and Booker continued to make good progress with Budgens and Londis.

“Our plans to Focus, Drive and Broaden the group are on track. On 27 January we announced the planned merger with Tesco and we are going through the competition process.

“Meanwhile business as usual is going well as we continue to improve choice, prices and service for our retail, catering and small business customers,” Wilson said.