Floor coverings group Carpetright this morning reported a fall in sales.
The company revealed like-for-like sales for the 15 weeks since the end of April were down 7.5 per cent on the same period last year.
Total sales were down 7.3 per cent during the period as the company saw the benefits of new space offset by the closure of concessions in the Allders chain of department stores, which collapsed earlier this year.
"Trading in our UK and Republic of Ireland business has remained difficult due to a weak consumer environment combined with strong comparatives from last year," the company said.
But it added: "Carpetright has continued to take market share in all the countries in which it trades."
The company has over 375 branches in the UK and Ireland and told investors recently it had no plans to slow down its store expansion programme because of the high street spending malaise.