Higher prices have supported the owner of Primark’s growth as summer sales are also helping the retailer weather the cost of living storm.
Associated British Foods, which owns the fashion giant, lifted its outlook for the full year as it reported a jump in sales “largely driven by the necessary pricing actions taken earlier in the year to offset input cost increases”.
It comes as better weather and summer sales have helped other high street retailers.
READ MORE: Primark firm lifts profit forecast as shoppers show ‘resilience’
AB Foods, which has 191 Primark stores across the UK, also its biggest market, is opening new international outlets, including in the US, adding to more than 400 stores worldwide.
The firm, which also has major sugar, ingredients and other food businesses, said its sales surged by 16% over the three months to the end of May to £4.7 billion.
The parent firm, which owns the high street chain alongside a raft of grocery brands such as Kingsmill and Ryvita, also said “the deployment of Primark’s much-improved website” continued, launching in Germany, Spain, Italy, and the US in the period and in France shortly after the period ended”.
READ MORE: Primark owner AB Foods in price freeze pledge
The remaining markets will follow over the summer, it said.
Sales in Primark grew by 13% across its global stores, and by 6% in the UK, compared to the same period last year. The uplift was helped by higher average selling prices for its products, the company said.
The retail giant now expects its adjusted operating profit for the full year to be slightly ahead of last year.
READ MORE: Primark suggests possibility of job losses as profits set to tumble
It also said shoppers have been flocking to its flagship city centre stores, with its summer range including linen clothing and boho styles flying off the shelves.
Nevertheless, AB Foods previously said that its group margin declined during the first half of its financial year as it did not pass through the entirety of cost inflation to consumers via price rises.
AB Foods said: “Trading across our food businesses has continued to be good, following the trends seen in our second quarter.
"In particular, we have seen strong constant currency sales growth in grocery and ingredients largely driven by the necessary pricing actions taken earlier in the year to offset input cost increases.”
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