Nestlé group sales rose more than expected in the first quarter of the year as it benefited from a stronger dollar and offset higher costs with price increases.
First-quarter sales rose 14 per cent to 22.8 billion Swiss francs (€14.5 billion).
Currency swings - in particular a stronger dollar and Latin American currencies - boosted Nestlé's sales by 7.6 per cent in the quarter after foreign exchange movements made a positive contribution for the first time in five years in 2005.
The dollar rose about 9 per cent from the first quarter of last year, increasing the value of sales in the United States and dollar-linked currencies.
Nestlé does not report profit figures on a quarterly basis.
