Kesa's continental gains brought down
UK electricals retailer Comet has again brought down the overall trading performance of its parent group, Kesa.

The retailer reported strong returns from BUT and Darty on the continent and total group sales were up 3.8 per cent for the period from February 1 to July 18.

However, Comet's sales fell 3.1 per cent over the period. Similarly, like-for-like sales decreased by 5 per cent and total group like-for-likes were down 0.7 per cent.

Kesa chief executive Jean-Noel Labroue said: 'The group's performance in the period reflects the deteriorating retail conditions across our markets. Total sales continued to be driven by the demand for multimedia and digital products, while sales of more traditional products, particularly white goods, remained weak.

'Anticipating that the difficult market conditions will continue, our businesses are working hard to manage margins and streamline their organisations in preparation for our important second half.'