Thorntons to meet expectations
Chocolate maker Thorntons said yesterday its outlook for the financial year was in line with market expectations, after it reported a 6.3 per cent rise in sales to £93.1m for the 14 weeks to 11 January. The firm said a good Christmas performance had helped boost sales of its own-brand chocolates through supermarkets, with sales in its fast-moving consumer goods division up 17 per cent. International sales fell by almost 16 per cent in the quarter.