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Morrisons sees Christmas sales rise Morrisons sees Christmas sales rise
(about 1 hour later)
The UK's fourth biggest grocer, Morrisons, has seen festive sales rise despite the icy weather.The UK's fourth biggest grocer, Morrisons, has seen festive sales rise despite the icy weather.
It said like-for-like sales excluding petrol in the six week period over Christmas and New Year grew by 1% on the year before. The Bradford-based firm said like-for-like sales excluding petrol and VAT in the six-week period over Christmas and New Year grew by 1% on the year before.
The Bradford-based firm said its staff had battled against difficult weather conditions to keep customers served. Morrisons' chief executive Dalton Philips said it had been "a good performance in a tough market".
The firm's chief executive Dalton Philips said it had been "a good performance in a tough market". However, retailer Debenhams said the weather conditions had cut its like-for-like sales by 2.5-3%.
"I am very pleased with the way the whole business has risen to the twin challenges of a difficult consumer environment and prolonged spell of adverse weather," he added. Weather issues
The sales increase at Morrisons was slightly higher than analysts had expected.
"I am very pleased with the way the whole business has risen to the twin challenges of a difficult consumer environment and prolonged spell of adverse weather," Mr Philips said.
He also told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that the firm had seen a change in customer shopping patterns because of the weather.
He said that rather than coming in on the traditional biggest shopping day of 23 December, people had been visiting stores "three to four days before Christmas".
They had also been making larger shopping purchases than usual.
Ocado boostOcado boost
Meanwhile, food home delivery company Ocado also reported a rise in sales. Department store group Debenhams said that, for the 19 weeks to 8 January, group like-for-like sales had increased by 0.3% including VAT and decreased by 1.3% excluding VAT.
Ocado said in the Christmas week its gross sales were £12.3m, up 43.5% from 2009. Chief executive Rob Templeman said the group's performance had been "pleasing" in the wake of the disruption caused by the widespread cold weather.
He said the severe weather had cut the retailer's group's like-for-like sales by 2.5-3% over the 19 week period.
Meanwhile, food home delivery company Ocado reported a rise in sales. It said gross sales during Christmas week had reached £12.3m, up 43.5% from 2009.
In the four trading weeks to 26 December, Ocado's gross sales were £50.9m, up 26.7% from 2009.In the four trading weeks to 26 December, Ocado's gross sales were £50.9m, up 26.7% from 2009.
Department store Debenhams has also announced its figures for the 19 weeks to 8 January 2011.
It said group like-for-like sales increased by 0.3% including VAT and decreased by 1.3% excluding VAT.
Chief executive Rob Templeman said the group's performance had been "pleasing" in the wake of widespread cold weather disruption in December
He said the weather conditions had hit the group's like-for-like sales by 2.5-3% over the 19 week period.