First half growth for Booker
CASH and Carry group Booker, which bought Salford’s Makro last year, is continuing to see sales growth despite “increasing price competition”.
In the six months to the end of September the group saw pre-tax profits rise by 16% to £77.4m on sales of £2.3bn, up 1.9%.
Booker’s £140m deal for loss-making Makro was approved by competition regulators in April 2013.
Like-for-like revenues, not including Makro, were up by 2.4% and online sales jumped by 12% to £413M.
In a statement the company said: “Makro has also fitted into the group… Together we are improving choice, prices and service. We have now converted four of the 30 Makro business centres to the new format. These are performing well and a further four will be converted in the second half.”
Chairman Richard Rose said: “Whilst there is increasing price competition in the UK grocery and discount sectors, we will continue to deliver our plans to offer our customers even better choice, prices and service. We are on track to deliver an outcome for the financial year in line with our plans and to make progress in this challenging environment.
