# Sainsbury’s boss delivers tax warning to government ahead of Budget

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/sainsburys-boss-delivers-tax-warning-to-government-ahead-of-budget/
- Published: 2026-10-22T09:37:43+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-22T10:39:06+00:00
- Original publisher: The Independent (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sainsburys-budget-simon-richards-john-healey-tax-b3071334.html
- Topics: Government, Politics

## Key points

- Sainsbury’s chief warns against higher business taxes and labour costs in the Budget.
- Half-year revenue rose 4.1% to £16.2bn.
- Stronger grocery sales prompted an improved profit outlook.

## Summary

Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts has urged the Government to avoid further substantial rises in business taxes and labour costs in next week’s Budget, saying it is important not to repeat earlier Labour budgets. He said ministers had listened to business concerns in recent talks, and called for changes to business rates, measures to encourage hiring and greater capacity for investment in farming.

The warning came as Sainsbury’s reported stronger grocery sales and raised its profit outlook, with shoppers buying more as price inflation slowed. For the 28 weeks to 12 September, revenue rose 4.1% to £16.2bn and underlying operating profit increased 3.6% to £525m; the company now expects annual underlying operating profit of £1.025bn to £1.065bn, while its planned Argos sale is progressing.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.