Dunelm, the Leicestershire-headquartered homewares retailer, has reported “robust trading” in an update for its first quarter.
The company said it was “pleased” with the performance during the 13-week period ended 1 October 2022, against the backdrop of a challenging environment.
Sales of £357m were down 8% year on year, which the firm said was expected, given a very strong comparative period, with Q1 last year benefitting from pent up demand and the firm’s rescheduled summer sale.
Compared to pre-pandemic, however, total sales grew by 36%.
Digital sales made up 33% of total sales in the quarter, in line with the same period last year.
Nick Wilkinson, Chief Executive Officer, said: “It has been another robust quarter for Dunelm against a very strong comparative period, which illustrates the strength and resilience of our business model and the appeal of our market-leading offer.
“Dunelm has emerged from the last two years as a bigger, better business, with total sales up 36% against the same period pre-Covid. We have benefitted from the commitment, expertise and adaptability of our colleagues and supplier partners – the same qualities that are serving the business as we navigate the current inflationary challenges.
“As we enter what will clearly be a challenging winter for consumers, our absolute focus remains on making every pound count for everyone, through a tight grip on operations. We will continue to offer outstanding value at all price points, so our customers can make their own choices around adapting to the economic backdrop. This focus on value has seen Dunelm successfully navigate previous periods of economic uncertainty.
“The landscape is a demanding one, but we feel both energised and confident in our ability to grow market share as the 1st choice for UK homelovers.”
