Home shopping sales boost Body Shop
Profits running ahead of forecasts
Strong sales through its home shopping arm have boosted Christmas performance at Body Shop, now running ahead of forecasts.
Total retail sales in the ten weeks to January 1 grew by 6 per cent, with comparable store retail sales up 3 per cent. In the year to date, total sales are up 5 per cent, with comparable store sales up 1 per cent.
The Body Shop At Home business, in which agents sell products directly through parties, saw sales growth of 28 per cent in the ten week Christmas period, with sales up 34 per cent for the year to date.
As a result of this strong performance, Body Shop said forecasted operating profit and earning per share for the full year are running marginally ahead of market expectations.
Peter Saunders, chief executive said: “We are pleased to report that over the important Christmas period we have delivered positive comparable store sales of 3 per cent globally together with an improvement in underlying margins.
“Our repositioning of the brand continues to progress, and we expect to deliver another year of good performance, marginally ahead of market expectations.”
[img r]bodyshopinterior.jpg[/img]In the Americas, which has accounted for 23 per cent of total year to date retail sales, comparable store sales fell by 1 per cent over the ten week period, and are flat year to date.
Asia Pacific, worth 25 per cent of total year to date retail sales, comparable store sales saw growth of 7 per cent in the ten week period and +5 per cent for the year to date.
The Europe, Middle East and Africa Region, worth 27 per cent of total year to date retail sales, comparable sales for the ten week period were up 4 per cent and up 1 per cent for the year to date, with poistive results in France and Germany.
In the UK and Republic of Ireland, worth 25 per cent of total year to date retail sales, comparable store sales for the ten week period were up 5 per cent, and down 1 per cent for the year to date.
