Sainsbury chief’s cheap veg pledge

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King said that as the weather improves and spring arrives, supermarkets will be able to source more of their produce locally, cutting costs.

He was responding to inflation figures yesterday that showed a surprise jump in the cost of living. Vegetables are 19% more expensive than they were a year ago while fruit costs 13% more.

King said: "As far as the fresh food element goes, the inflation figure will always wax and wane. Over the next six months, we won't have to buy in euro-denominated fruit, we will source it from the UK."

He was talking as the supermarkets chain reported a jump in sales in the last three months. Sales are up 6.2%, a sign that the supermarket sector continues to thrive in the recession.

"These are very strong figures," said King. "This is a step up from the last quarter and the message is that much of the work we have done over the last five years is paying off."

King will have been at the helm for five years on Monday, and is facing growing talk that he may soon look to move on.

"Not at all," he said today. "I couldn't be happier."

He declined to comment on speculation he is in line to succeed Sir Stuart Rose at Marks & Spencer, when the retail knight eventually steps down.

Sainsbury's shares have enjoyed a good run lately but today dipped 8p to 3223/4p.