Homewares retailer Dunelm has posted a 4.8 per cent rise in total revenue for the first half of the year to £356.3m.
The retailer, which sells bedding, furniture, blinds and curtains, had a difficult start to the year as l-f-l sales fell 5.3 per cent in the first quarter due to unseasonably warmer weather. But it bounced back in the second quarter as l-f-l sales rose 2.9 per cent, helped by its first TV advertising campaign and a new autumn catalogue.
Total like-for-like sales declined by 0.9 per cent in H1 2013.
Nick Wharton, Chief Executive, said: “Dunelm traded robustly during this key period with our trusted “every day low price” positioning retaining a strong appeal for customers. Our home delivery proposition has become much stronger as a result of our new fulfilment centre, and we are beginning to see the benefits from our increased advertising investment to drive brand awareness.”
It predicted profit before tax for H1 will be approximately £61.5m.
Dunelm, which employs 7,000 people across 140 stores, says its “medium-term target” was to boost its number of superstores to 200.
The retailer was founded in 1979 as a market stall business, selling ready-made curtains. The first shop was opened in Leicester in 1984 before expanding into broader homewares categories following the opening of the first Dunelm superstore in 1991.
The UK homewares market is said to be worth £11bn.
