Sainsbury’s has seen like-for-like (LFL) sales down 2.1% for its first quarter, fighting what it calls “a highly competitive pricing backdrop.”

The supermarket said that total retail sales had fallen flat down 0.6% excluding fuel, for the 12 weeks to 6 June 2015.

The retailer currently maintains its share of the market at 16.5%, according to figures from Kantar Worldpanel.

Mike Coupe, chief executive, said: “Trading conditions are still being impacted by strong levels of food deflation and a highly competitive pricing backdrop. These pressures, including the effect of our own targeted price investment, have led to a fall in like-for-like sales for the quarter.

“We outlined in our strategic review in November some of the key actions we would be taking to remain competitive in this environment and are encouraged by some of the early trends that we are seeing in our key trading and operational metrics.”

The strategic review includes an investment in the ‘quality’ of 3,000 own-brand products at the supermarket.

Coupe also said it had opened 20 grocery Click & Collect sites, and remained on track to have over 100 sites by the end of this year.

He said: “We continue to make it easier for customers to shop with us whenever and wherever they want.”

At the end of the quarter, Sainsbury’s had 598 supermarkets and 714 convenience stores.