Dunelm sees sales tick up as it launches productivity drive

Dunelm, the Enderby-based homewares giant, has posted encouraging results for its second quarter.
For the 13 weeks to December 28, sales rose 1.6% to £490m in what the company is calling a “challenging” market.
The results mean that total sales of £894m in the firm’s first half were up 2.4%.
Dunelm says its furniture categories performed particularly well, from its sofa collections through to smaller items such as dining chairs and coffee tables.
Meanwhile, the company says it is implementing “initiatives to drive productivity” across the business to mitigate against the rise in National Insurance contributions.
Nick Wilkinson, chief executive officer, said: “We’re pleased with our performance in the first half; we are growing sales and volume, with customers again responding well to the value and choice we offer across our ranges.”