Very Christmas sales boosted by beauty and fragrance

British e-tailer Very has reported a 2.2 percent year-over-year increase in retail sales in the seven weeks to December 23, boosted by a 12.7 percent rise in beauty and fragrance sales.

Compared to pre-pandemic levels from 2019, sales at Very were up 19.6 percent.

On a less bright note, however, fashion and sports sales were down 6.6 percent year-on-year, though womenswear was up 4.8 percent and menswear rose 1.3 percent.

Lionel Desclée, the CEO of parent company The Very Group, said in a statement: “Our team pulled out all the stops to deliver an amazing Christmas for the families we serve and a strong trading performance for the period.

“We recorded year-on-year growth in Very and grew market share despite the challenging backdrop. As expected, our customers prioritised toys, gifts and beauty items for their loved ones, justifying our decision to invest in stock within the category.”

Overall group sales, which includes Littlewoods, were down 1.3 percent year-on-year.

Desclée continued: “The impact of the high cost of living will create challenges for all retailers in the year ahead, but we’re confident that our combination of online retail and flexible ways to pay will continue to offer our customers the convenience, value and flexibility they need.”