Pets at Home said strong demand for its veterinary and pet grooming services has allowed it record a “strong” first quarter.
For the 16 weeks to July 20, the pet shop chain posted a growth of five per cent in overall revenue to £256.5 million, while like-for-likes rose by 2.7 per cent.
However, the revenue in Pets at Home’s services division – made up of brands such as Vets4Pets and The Groom Room – jumped by 18.8 per cant to £40.1 million alongside a 10.5 per cent rise in like-for-likes.
Merchandise overall sales also went up by 2.8 per cent to £216.4 million, with like-for-likes edging up by 1.5 per cent.
Meanwhile, omnichannel sales skyrocketed by 80 per cent, of which 60 per cent derived from a shopper visiting a store or getting assistance from a member of store staff.
READ MORE: 25% jump in revenues for Pets At Home
The specialist retailer – which operates from 439 stores located across the UK – opened five new superstores, two veterinary practices and six grooming salons during its first quarter.
It also said its outlook for the year ahead remained unchanged and that it was on track to open 10 superstores, 40-50 vet practices and 40-50 grooming salons this year.
“We are pleased with our positive start to the year, delivered through another period of strong growth in our vet group and further momentum in merchandise trading,” chief executive Ian Kellett said.
“We have continued our everyday lower price repositioning and reduced the reliance on short term promotional discounts. We remain encouraged by the overall response to our pricing changes and by the number of both new customers and those we have welcomed back.
“We are confident the investments we are making to grow our veterinary business and to reposition our pricing and deliver everyday value for our customers are creating a strong platform for sustainable future growth.”
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