Flying Brands’ garden division has been behind expectations due to bad weather with sales of bedding plants during spring.
The retailer said its business has not so far been affected by the air travel restrictions due to the Icelandic volcano, and it will source alternative routes for its flowers.
For the 13 weeks to April 2, the value of orders in its garden division was £8m, down from £8.4m. Web sales increased from £1.5m to £1.8m.
Flying Flowers’ orders were £2.3m, down from £3.1m the previous year. The shortfall is in part due to it axing its loss-making catalogue sales at Mother’s Day.
The retailer continued to move more of its flowers business to the internet and web sales for the period increased to £1.4m, from £1.1m in 2009.
Sales in Flying Brands’ entertainment division was £1m, down from £1.3m.
For the business overall, the order intake for the period was £11.2m, down 11.6% on a like for like basis against the same period last year.
The retailer said the disappointing spring gardening season means profit expectations for the year will be “a considerable challenge”. It will put in additional revenue and profit generating activities to ensure it meets that challenge, and focus on controlling costs.
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