Business

Dixons Carphone hails 4 per cent sales rise as shoppers undeterred by Brexit

Dixons Carphone said the Brexit vote had not put consumers off from hitting the shops as it reported 'strong' trading
Dixons Carphone said the Brexit vote had not put consumers off from hitting the shops as it reported 'strong' trading Dixons Carphone said the Brexit vote had not put consumers off from hitting the shops as it reported 'strong' trading

electricals and mobile phones giant Dixons Carphone said the Brexit vote had not put consumers off from hitting the shops as it cheered "strong" trading.

The Currys and PC World owner notched up a 4 per cent rise in like-for-like sales across the UK and Ireland in its first quarter to July 30.

Chief executive Seb James said so-called shopper footfall had been "really strong" in the latest sign that the June vote to quit the European Union has not yet dented consumer confidence.

He added: "We continue to see no detectable impact of the Brexit vote on consumer behaviour in the UK."

Official retail sales figures showed a far-better-than-expected 1.4 per cent rise in July, which marked a rebound from June, when the high street suffered its sharpest sales fall in six months.

But not all retailers are convinced over consumer resilience, with John Lewis managing director Andy Street revealing on Wednesday that he feared shopper confidence had failed to bounce back to pre-referendum levels.

Dixons Carphone - created from the £5 billion merger between Dixons and Carphone Warehouse in 2014 - said it saw strong demand for televisions ahead of the summer's Euro 2016 football championship, while sales were also strong for smart fitness devices and watches, as well as PC gaming.

It added that the Pokemon Go gaming craze had seen demand for mobile phone chargers more than double, as players run down their phone power while glued to their screens.

The chain also said it had delivered sales growth in built-in white goods, such as washing machines and dishwashers, three times faster than the market after boosting its range available for next-day delivery and launching an expert installation service.

Mr James confirmed the rollout of its three-in-one megastores was "well on track", while the group's first quarter also saw it go live with a new Carphone Warehouse website and expand its click-and-collect reach for small products sold group-wide across 500 Carphone Warehouse stores.

He also gave an update on the company's US expansion plans through a joint venture deal with US telecoms group Sprint, with 31 stores now across five regions.

The firm plans to eventually open 500 outlets in the US.

The retailer's overseas operations also delivered robust like-for-like sales growth in its first quarter, up 13 per cent in Southern Europe driven by Greece and 2 per cent higher in the Nordics.