Ocado Retail, the joint venture between the online grocer and M&S, has increased its sales forecast for the year following a strong performance in its first three quarters.

The online supermarket sales rocketed 15.5% to £658m in the 13 weeks to 1 September, which it attributed the “continued momentum” on delivering “unbeatable choice, unrivalled service and reassuringly good value”.

Average orders per week rose 14.7% to 437k and volumes were up 15.4% thanks to a 10.3% increase in active customers to 1.06m.

As a result, Ocado is upping its full-year sales guidance from mid-high single digit percentage growth to a low double-digit figure.

Ocado Retail chief executive Hannah Gibson said: “Our strategy remains focused on giving our customers unbeatable choice, unrivalled service and reassuringly good value.

“We’re seeing the momentum of this, with more customers shopping with us more often, getting even better service at better value.

“We know what our customers love, and we’re focused on our proposition every day. This includes our widest ever choice including more M&S food, more convenience with better availability of delivery slots and products, further improving our high perfect order rate and better value for money through our Ocado Price Promise and our latest Big Price Drop.

“We’re pleased with the progress we’re making and excited about how much more there is to deliver.”

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