Sales fall brings more woe to Mothercare

Mothercare has posted another set of dire, domestic trading figures as it pushes ahead with its store closures programme in Britain.

The baby product retailer's UK underlying sales tumbled by 6.7 per cent over the 15 weeks to 14 July. But overseas revenues jumped 11 per cent, driven by its rapid expansion to 1,053 stores in countries from Saudi Arabia to India.

Mothercare shut 16 domestic stores in the quarter as part of plans to close 111, leaving it with 200 shops in the UK by March 2015.

Simon Calver, chief executive of Mothercare, said the improved functionality of its new web platform had seen online sales grow over the last five weeks after a fall last year.