Amid mixed trading reports from multiple housewares stockists, kitchenware retailer ProCook (with 37 stores in the UK plus ecommerce) reported headline sales growth of 21% on the six weeks of peak trading leading up to December 31.
ProCook’s result was driven by a 26% increase in online sales and 16% increase in retail sales during the period that incorporated Black Friday (which saw a 21% increase on 2017), the Christmas build up and the immediate post-Christmas shopping days. Like for like figures also delivered impressive results with retail achieving a 3% increase.
Acknowledging the retailer’s “compelling offers,” ProCook founder Daniel O’Neill said: “We had exceptional growth in 2017 leaving big boots to fill, but we’ve sustained that success and put ourselves us on a good footing for the challenges ahead in 2019.” He added: “British shoppers demand high quality goods that are priced competitively and that’s an arena we can confidently occupy, so we’re very hopeful for the next 12 months. ”
Meanwhile John Lewis & Partners saw its like-for-like sales grow by 1.0% in the seven weeks to January 5. Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, described “apositive Christmas trading period thanks to the extraordinary efforts of Partners in our business, delivering differentiated products and service to customers.”
Selfridges reported a record breaking Christmas, with sales rising 8% in the 24 day lead up to Christmas. Tesco’s reported its best Christmas sales figures for a decade, up 2.6% in the six weeks to January 5, and Morrisons saw its Christmas sales climb for the fourth consecutive year.
However, at Sainsbury’s (including Argos) general merchandise sales fell by 2.3%, (for the 15 weeks to January 15), despite strong sales growth at Argos during the key Christmas weeks. Marks and Spencer’s clothing and home sales were down 2.8% (on a like-for-like basis for the 13 weeks to December 30).
Among the biggest losers was Debenhams, reporting a 5.7% fall in like-for-like sales in the 18 weeks to 5 January.
Top: ProCook’s Christmas window at its Chesterfield branch.
