Health and beauty retailer Boots surpassed forecasts this morning by reporting its strongest pre-Christmas sales growth for over ten years.
The group, in the middle of a strategy review, said customers snapped up cosmetics, fragrances, Christmas gifts and electrical beauty accessories.
Sales of its own No 7 cosmetics range hit £3.5 million sterling in the week to November 30th - the best-ever takings in the brand's near 70-year history.
Like-for-like sales across the core Boots The Chemist chain were 7.5 per cent up on a year ago in the three months to December 31st - the third quarter of Boots' financial year.
It also said it had met its target for on-shelf availability of 98 per cent for all lines throughout the busy pre-Christmas trading period.
Sales grew by 8.1 per cent, (7.5 per cent like for like) due to strong sales performance throughout the quarter and particularly over the Christmas period.
Growth in beauty and toiletries sales was driven by strong performance in own-brand cosmetics, premium cosmetics and fragrance, while higher sales growth in gift categories was due to Christmas health and beauty ranges and electrical beauty accessories.