Carpetright sales boosted by bed business
Carpetright, Britain’s biggest flooring retailer, said quarterly underlying UK sales growth picked-up a touch, helped by the development of its bed business, an extended laminate range and store refurbishment.
The firm said on Tuesday sales at British stores open over a year rose 1.7 per cent in the 12 weeks to 21 July.
That compared with a rise of 1.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of the previous year.
“We also recognise that this period does include some benefit from the unusually wet weather, which has produced consistently positive customer footfall to our stores,” said chief executive Darren Shapland.
Although inflation and unemployment are falling, Britons’ disposable income is still being squeezed by meagre wage growth and government austerity measures.
Carpetright, which has issued a raft of profit warnings over the last couple of years, has been particularly hard hit because of a stagnant housing market and because carpets are a deferrable purchase.
The firm has responded by lowering prices, expanding into beds, upgrading its range of laminate flooring and cutting costs