Carpetright’s revamp powers a lift in sales

Floor covering retailer Carpetright’s store refurbishment programme helped drive an uplift in UK sales in its latest quarter but it suffered torrid trading in the Netherlands.

The carpets market leader has modernised 122 stores and today hailed the success of other “self-help” initiatives, such as expanding its beds offer, adding more laminate flooring, better logistics and improved fitting services.

These helped lift its UK like-for-like sales by 3.2% over the 13 weeks to January 26, which smashed City forecasts.

Chief executive Darren Shapland said sales at its refurbished stores were about 10 per cent ahead of the rest of its UK estate and vowed to have modernised 180 of its 476 shops by the end of its financial year.

He added the beds business had “performed well” in its third quarter but declined to comment on speculation it may be interested in acquiring part of Dreams, the up-for-sale beds retailer with 270 stores.

Carpetright cited “continued weakness in the Netherlands” for a 11.5% fall in underlying sales at its smaller European business, which also includes Belgium and the Republic of Ireland.

Shapland said it remained committed to its 95-store Netherlands’ operation but said consumers had cut discretionary spending.