Boots defies the snow to keep marching forward

Alliance Boots, the pharmacy and health and beauty giant, achieved a 15.6 per cent leap in total revenues in the final quarter of 2010, despite challenging trading and the UK's heavy snowfall.

The group said the performance of Boots UK, where retail like-for-like rose sales up 3.8 per cent in December, was "especially pleasing". It was boosted by strong demand for retail healthcare, fragrances and electrical beauty products. The group's star performer was its wholesale pharmaceutical division, where revenues rose 24.4 per cent.