Booker’s sales boosted by summer heatwave

Booker Group, Britain’s biggest cash-and-carry wholesaler, posted a 19 per cent rise in second quarter sales as a hot summer drove up customer numbers and demand.

By The Newsroom

Published 19th Sep 2013, 10:36 BST

The firm, which runs more than 170 branches supplying caterers, convenience stores, grocers, pubs and prisons, said like-for-like sales excluding its Makro business were up 3.5 per cent in the 12 weeks to September 13, with non-tobacco sales up 6.9 per cent and tobacco sales down 2.0 per cent.

Total sales in the period including Makro rose 19.3 per cent.

Booker, which acquired Makro, the loss-making UK business of German retailer Metro AG, last year, in order to reach customers like small firms and hotels, said it was on track to integrate the division into its business.

The firm had operated Makro as a separate unit until Britain’s monopoly watchdog cleared the acquisition in April.

Booker said its outlook for the full-year was unchanged.

Britain