Whitbread reports 4.2% rise in like-for-like sales in second quarter

05-Sep-2012 - Last updated on 11-Mar-2017 at 18:53 GMT

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Whitbread, the leisure group, has reported a 4.2% rise in like-for-like sales for the 11 weeks to 16 August, driven by a 5.7% rise in sales across its Costa Coffee estate and a 4.9% increase in sales through its 389-strong pub restaurant division.

However, it warned that the economic challenges and variable trading month by month continued.

Total sales across the group for the 11 weeks climbed 14.8%, with total sales across Costa up 25.3%, hotels and restaurants up 10.7%, pub restaurants up 6.9% and across premier Inn up 13%.

For the 24 weeks to 16 August, the group reported a 3.4% rise in like-for-like sales across its pub restaurants, a 3.6% rise in sales in its hotels and restaurants division and a 7.1% rise at Costa.

Whitbread said it plans to open 350 net new Costa stores and 1,000 Costa Express units in the full year.

The group said that its restaurants delivered total covers growth of 8.6% in the year to date. It said that the switch of half-term from Q1 last year to Q2 this year benefited like-for-like sales in Q2 this year by 1.4% percentage points.

Andy Harrison, chief executive of Whitbread, said: “Our brands have outperformed in a tough economic climate, with like for like sales growth of 4.2% and we have continued our network expansion at Costa and Premier Inn.

“Restaurants continued to improve, benefiting from a wide range of management actions, driving an increase in like for like sales of 4.9%. Costa, the UK’s favourite coffee shop, had yet another strong quarter with like for like sales up 5.7% and total sales up 25.3%, as we continue to grow at pace in both the UK and selected overseas markets.

“The economic challenges and variable trading month by month continue. We remain on track to deliver our ambitious growth programme, with our strong brands winning market share.”