Waitrose sales have jumped after a price cutting campaign helped to tempt back middle class shoppers.

The supermarket saw sales jump by 3.2pc in the 12 weeks to April 17, according to the latest figures from Kantar.

The jump was its best sales performance since June 2021 in a sign that recent reductions are helping stem its loss of customers.

Waitrose cut the prices of 300 own-brand items in February, with nearly a quarter lowered by at least 20pc.

The effort to cut prices and stay competitive came as Aldi and Lidl stole customers away from traditional British supermarkets.

Price conscious shoppers switched to the German discounters in their droves amid the cost of living crisis.

Waitrose’s market share fell from 5.1pc in early to 2022 to 4.5pc. The grocer’s campaign of price cuts managed to stem the decline, with its market share remaining at 4.5pc in this month's Kantar figures.

Kantar analyst Fraser McKevitt said: “Retailers are really battling it out to show value to shoppers, but if consumers feel their offer isn’t quite right then they’ll go elsewhere.”

German discounters continue to win business despite major price cuts across all supermarkets.

One in ten pounds spent with grocers now goes to Aldi, Kantar said, marking the first time the retailer has won 10pc of the market.

Sales at both Aldi and Lidl were up by around 25pc year-on-year. Competition between the supermarkets continues to be fierce.

Tesco earlier this month kicked off a milk price war. Britain’s biggest supermarket cut the price of a pint by 5p to 90p after it said wholesale costs had started to come down. All of the major supermarkets then moved to match Tesco.

Tesco boss Ken Murphy recently suggested more cuts were on the horizon, particularly in the supermarket's bakery section.

He said: “We would hope that, in certain areas, in bakery, you will start to see some deflation.”