Sainsbury keeps its hold on the retailer chart, claiming the top spot for the second consecutive week, while Tesco moves back up to second place.

Tesco is particularly strong on health and beauty promotions with a number of buy-one-get-one-free promotions and other multibuy offers.

Morrisons drops from second to third place and Safeway moves up to the number four spot.

Soft drinks takes the lead in the category chart with buy-one-get-one-free particularly dominant. The improvement in soft drinks forces culinary down to second place just ahead of confectionery which comes in as a new entry at number three.

The confectionery category is heavily supported by the many promotions aimed at the Christmas market.

Elsewhere in the chart frozen enters at number four which, along with the success of soft drinks, serves to force alcoholic drinks down to number five.

Mars reasserts itself to reclaim the top position in the brand chart leaping ahead to stand three percentage points ahead of Cadbury at number two. Coca-Cola, Princes and Pringles all move up the chart while Heinz, Walkers and Kellogg’s move down. There are just two new entries, Nestlé and McVitie’s.

Nestlé storms straight to third place while McVitie’s sneaks in at the bottom of the chart to number 10.

In own label, soft drinks romps ahead of the field to take the number one spot while cakes and biscuits moves up two to second place.

Frozen and household both slip down the chart this week while culinary comes in as a new entry.