Primark's festive sales up 3pc

Sales at budget fashion shops chain Primark, which has stores in Brierley Hill, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton, were up three per cent for the 16-week period to January 2, which covers the Christmas and new year shopping season.

Owner Associated British Foods said group revenue for the period was two per cent behind, but at constant currency rates was ahead three per cent.

Primark sales were seven per cent ahead of last year at constant currency in line with the increase in retail selling space over the year.

The like-for-like sales performance in the first seven weeks of the financial year was strong, benefiting from comparison with a weaker performance in the prior year when the autumn was unseasonably warm.

In the following nine weeks, like-for-like sales were weaker as a result of warmer and wetter weather across Europe, leading up to and over the Christmas period.

The group's retail selling space has increased by 0.4 million sq ft since the financial year end and at January 2 it had 299 stores were trading from 11.5 million sq ft of retail selling space.

Its new 1.1 million sq ft warehouse in Islip, Northamptonshire is currently under construction and will open by summer 2016

ABF said investment in expansion opportunities would continue, most notably for Primark.