Boots in festive sales lift
Sales at Boots rose by 3.8 per cent in December on a like-for-like basis, with strong performances in healthcare, fragrances and electrical beauty products.
The group said it had made market share gains in its core categories of health and beauty. Total revenue rose by 14.3 per cent in the quarter to 31 December, including a 2.8 per cent increase in underlying sales on the retail side, and the group said it envisaged “strong profit growth” this year. Boots was taken private in 2007, becoming Alliance Boots, and disclosed the sales numbers to staff in an email yesterday from chief executive Andy Hornby. “This represents an extremely robust performance and demonstrates the ability of our group to deliver growth even in tough economic conditions,” Hornby told staff in the update.