Boots hails strong second quarter performance
Boots has delivered a strong second quarter performance after seeing sustained growth in retail and pharmacy sales.
In the three months to 28 February, comparable retail sales were up 22% as the retailer made market share gains across all categories, although beauty was the top performer.
Online sales on Boots.com were up 60% on pre-Covid levels two years ago and now account for more than 15% of Boots UK retail sales. The retailer also benefited from a 52% uplift in store footfall year-on-year and a 15% increase in basket size on pre-Covid levels.
In a statement, Boots said its strategic review is in progress in line with parent company Walgreen Boots Alliance’s new strategic direction and its increased focus on US healthcare.
Sebastian James, managing director of Boots UK & ROI, said: “Our strategic focus continues to be on transforming our beauty, healthcare and digital offerings and this quarter we made excellent progress – with strong take-up of our new and existing healthcare services while maintaining our leading position in the growing beauty category.
“Looking ahead, Boots is uniquely positioned to capture further growth through the combination of our broad and rejuvenated store portfolio and increasingly powerful online presence. It is a very exciting time for the business, and we are confident that as the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer, we are ideally placed to seize the opportunities presented by the growing healthcare and beauty markets.”
