MORRISONS boss David Potts has praised the supermarket’s store staff for improving customers’ shopping experience and boosting sales.

Around a year after becoming chief executive of the Bradford-based retailer, Mr Potts has revealed the second consecutive rise in quarterly like-for-like sales as Morrisons continues to recover from trading gloom.

The boss who started as a Tesco shelf stacker aged 16, said Morrisons staff were paid 20 per cent more than a year ago and shift patterns had been changed to meet customer needs.

“Customer satisfaction is up on last year and is on a positive trajectory. We have to work hard to keep that going by continuing to improve the shopping experience

“We have good smiling staff who contribute to that and are vital to Morrisons recovery, “ said Mr Potts.

Morrisons has continued its turnaround with another rise in sales during its first trading quarter of the year.

It said like-for-like sales grew 0.7 per cent during the period - the second consecutive quarter of growth after four years of stagnation.

The company saw sales at its Food To Go division rocket more than 17 per cent year on year and Morrisons said its Free From range sales grew 70 per cent.

Sales of the Nutmeg clothing range grew by 25 per cent and it is now among the UK’s top 20 clothing brands.

David Potts said: “We are encouraged by progress across our six priorities. There is still much to do and our colleagues are working very hard to improve the shopping trip and save customers every penny we can.

“Customers are responding and satisfaction levels remain ahead of last year. We are, of course, pleased with a second consecutive quarter of positive LFL sales, which demonstrates our aim to stabilise trade is taking effect.”

The resurgence comes after Mr Potts took the helm last year, following the removal of former boss Dalton Philips and embarked on a number of changes in a bid to turn around Morrisons fortunes.

In March, Morrisons signed a landmark deal with US online giant Amazon to supply fresh food to its customers.

Its Price Crunch programme had cut the cost of more than 800 everyday items, and Mr Potts said it was likely there were more price cuts to follow.

Clive Black, analyst at Shore Capital, said: “In a patient and methodical manner, Mr Potts has worked his way through a long ‘to do’ list.

“Store standards have been improved, product on offer has been enhanced, merchandising has been developed and customer service is better.

Those price cuts alongside the broader in-store package are helping Morrisons to compete more effectively.”