Body Shop moves back into black

SALES remain on the slide at struggling health and beauty retailer Body Shop, although a strong performance overseas has helped the group return to the black at the halfway stage.

Taxable profits for the 26 weeks to 30 August totalled £9.1m, against a loss last time of £700,000. Group sales were flat, at £306.1m, with an underlying fall of 3%.

In the UK, however, sales slumped by 9% as the group struggled to woo customers back into its shops. On the brighter side, margins improved, costs were cut and there was a good performance from The Body Shop at Home operation.

Chief executive Peter Saunders said work continues on new product development and the group is improving product marketing.

All staff are being given customer training and new uniforms, and in-store customer events and sampling programmes are being rolled out as part of the effort to get sales moving again.

With the crucial Christmas trading season about to get under way, Saunders gave no update on trading in the second half so far.

But he did predict a 'satisfactory outcome' for the full year.