Booths’ reward for avoiding price war

The company, which has stores in Ilkley, Ripon and Settle, recorded “modest” sales growth of 1.2 per cent to £273.6m last year.

However, sales this year have continued to improve, with Booths recording a sales growth of 4.2 per cent in the last 12 weeks.

Chairman Edwin Booth said that its trading since the year-end had begun to improve after Booths, “opted out of the price war which has engulfed the grocery sector”.

He said: “Consumers were buying as much as they could on deals and were increasingly attracted to offers on single lines as opposed to multi-buys.

“Rather than reduce more prices, Booths started to develop initiatives centred on its core expertise – high quality food and drink. These have already started to drive improved profitability in the present financial year.” 

He added: “We have made a conscious decision to develop increased authority in the retailing of food and drink and we are going to express this with strong and attractive branding.”

The retailer opened two new-format stores in Penrith, Cumbria, and the BBC’s MediaCityUK complex in Salford in the year.

Booths is carrying out a £2m rebrand of all 28 of its stores.

The grocer has launched its website and re-introduced a ‘click-and-collect’ service which was piloted last Christmas, with a view to making the service permanent. Booths has also developed a dedicated website to liaise with suppliers.

Mr Booth added: “Booths continue to focus on efficiencies.”