Beauty product chain the Body Shop has said its first quarter retail sales were up 8 per cent as sales in Britain buck a gloomy retail sector.
Group turnover was up 23 per cent in the first quarter, added the group.
Body Shop pleased investors in April by offering a rare gleam of light in the gloomy British retail sector with a 9 per cent increase in UK sales in the first eight weeks of the year.
"In the UK, the positive trend has continued, with first quarter comparable store sales up by 7 per cent on the same period last year," the group said ahead of Friday's annual general meeting.
Sales through its Body Shop At Home division, which sells products through parties in people's homes, were up 12 per cent.
"In the Americas region, the comparable store sales trend of -1 per cent reflects flat sales in the USA, together with a decline of 3 per cent in Canada," it said.
Sales declines in Korea and Italy were reduced, while in all other countries the group generated sales growth.