Tablet boom boosts Dixons

Europe's second biggest electricals retailer Dixons saw a rise in sales over Christmas and captured market share from rivals, the chain said today.

The owner of the Currys and PC World chains said sales in the UK and Ireland rose 5%, helped by a particularly strong post-Christmas sale, and were up 2% in northern Europe.

The retailer has benefited from a tablets boom, as well as the demise of major rival Comet in 2012 and problems at Jessops and HMV. It has also been cutting costs, revamping stores and seeking to improve products, prices and customer service.

But chief executive Seb James said: "We have some very strong comparables in the fourth quarter and, with a later Easter as well, I expect performance in the remainder of our financial year to be more modest than the year to date."

Over the last six months the firm has offloaded the loss-making e-commerce business PIXmania and operations in Turkey and partially exited Italy.