Johannesburg - Health and beauty retailer Clicks
continued its growth momentum in the 20 weeks to mid-January 2017, increasing
sales by 13.6 percent.
In a statement issued on Thursday, CEO David Kneale said
the Clicks chain performed well in the current constrained consumer
environment, showing volume growth of 4.2 percent, well ahead of most
retailers.
Clicks increased same store sales by 9.6 percent with selling
price inflation of 5.4 percent.
Kneale said customer behaviour continues to reflect a
shift to shopping later in the festive season and Clicks experienced record
trading days in the week leading up to Christmas.
Read also: Clicks adds 511 stores
“It is most encouraging that we continued to experience
buoyant trading in the weeks after Christmas, driven mainly by value promotions
across all of our product categories,” he said.
Total retail sales for the Clicks Group increased by 12.2
percent and by 8.5 percent in comparable stores, with selling price inflation
averaging 5.3 percent.
Total group turnover for the 20-week period grew by 8.6
percent to R10.0 billion. UPD, the group’s pharmaceutical wholesale and
distribution business, increased turnover by 6.4 percent, ahead of selling
price inflation of 4.3 percent for the period.
Kneale says management is confident of Clicks maintaining
its competitive market position through its value offer to customers and the
continued expansion of the Clicks store and pharmacy footprint. “This will be
supported by the relative resilience of the health and beauty markets in which
we trade,” he adds.
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