Leading health and beauty retailer Boots said sales in its chemist chain have picked up in the second quarter and that it is confident of meeting its full-year trading expectations.
In an update before its half-year results on November 7th the retailer said sales at the main chemist chain - which has over 1,400 shops in Britain and Ireland - grew more than 2.5 per cent on a like-for-like basis during the first half.
Shares in Boots have underperformed its British retail sector peers by 19 per cent in the last 12 months, falling 24 per cent in value in the last six months.
Boots said sales growth at its international healthcare division was around 11 per cent in the first half.
Boots is trying to reinvigorate sales in the face of stiff competition from supermarkets by moving into more upmarket products and services and more recently by sprucing up stores.