Travis Perkins has become the latest retailer to report falling sales due to the adverse weather conditions in the first quarter.
The DIY group said its consumer division, which includes retailer Wickes, saw like-for-like sales drop 4.6 per cent in the first three months of the year, alongside a total sales drop of 3.1 per cent.
However, the overall group including its plumbing and heating division and contracts arm saw like-for-like sales jump three per cent, while total sales increased a steady 2.4 per cent.
It attributed weather conditions across February and March to the drop in sales at its retail arm, but added that its outlook for the coming year remained on track.
“We delivered solid like-for-like sales growth in the first quarter, with volumes across the Group broadly flat and pricing initiatives to recover on-going commodity driven price inflation,” chief executive John Carter said.
“Whilst the mixed trading conditions in our markets are expected to continue in the near-term, we remain confident in the longer term outlook for the building materials market, with opportunities to grow and outperform through the investments we are making to develop or extend our strong customer propositions.”
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