Fortnum & Mason sales up 17% in run-up to Christmas
In October, the retailer also restarted deliveries to the EU for the first time since March 2021, boosting the number of international customers shopping online
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Fortnum and Mason has welcomed a period of strong trading over the festive period, with year-on-year sales up by 17% in the five weeks ahead of Christmas, largely boosted by food and decorations.
Over six million customers shopped with the retailer over the period, 30% more than the year prior, but according to CEO Tom Athron, customers were spending less.
Footfall at the flagship London store was boosted by the reopening of the third floor, which hosts a food and drinks studio and “experiences” such as cooking classes.
Athron said: “If we’ve got effectively six trading floors in Piccadilly, having one of them closed is quite a big deal for us.”
The group’s strong trading in the run-up to Christmas comes after a period of growth for the 12 months to July, where revenues rose by 12% to £208.6m compared with £186.5m the prior year.
In October, the retailer also restarted deliveries to the EU for the first time since March 2021, boosting the number of international customers shopping online.
Athron added: “That’s very exciting for us. Pre-Brexit that was about 7% of our trade, so quite a lot of money.”
