• The fashion retailer’s first-quarter like-for-likes fell 8.1%
  • Bonmarché’s overall sales dipped 3.6% during the period
  • The retailer’s full-year outlook remains unchanged

Bonmarché reported drops in like-for-like and overall sales, which the fashion retailer attributed to poor weather impacting summer trading.

The fashion retailer reported a 3.6% fall in its sales in the 13 weeks to June 25, while like-for-likes dropped 8.1% during the same period.

The retailer, which reported a £2.8m drop in it’s full-year pre-tax profits to £9.6m last month, attributed its sluggish first-quarter sales to unseasonable weather, which affected its summer ranges.

A statement from Bonmarché said that it was “not unusual for external conditions to create significant variations in quarterly performance” and that it’s full-year trading expectations were not affected by its first-quarter sales.

Chief executive Beth Butterwick said: “Sales were down 3.6% in a challenging quarter, due to a lack of strong demand across our high summer clothing categories.

“Our expectation for the full year remains unchanged, on the assumption that trading conditions normalise through the autumn season.”

The fashion retailer’s incoming chief executive Helen Connelly will take over from Butterwick next month.

“We continue to focus on creating a more modern experience for our customers through the execution of our five strategic pillars for growth: brand development and customer acquisition; product development; channels to market; systems and processes; and people and culture,” said Butterwick, who is due to step down on August 12.

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