SALES sweetened impressively over the Christmas period for chocolates, toffees and ice creams group Thorntons.

The company saw underlying like-for-like sales improve 3.7 per cent over the seven-week festive period compared with a 1.3 per cent decline over the same weeks a year earlier.

Roger Paffard, Thorntons chief executive, said: "We are satisfied with the sales performance this Christmas and have exciting new ranges planned for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter, aimed at maintaining sales momentum in the second half."

Taking a longer term view, total company sales rose by 7.5 per cent to £94.3 million in the 28 weeks to January 8.

Underlying same-store sales for the half year were up 0.7 per cent on the six months against the same period a year before after a rapid improvement in the second quarter.

New products and flavours launched throughout the autumn were said to be one of the main drivers of the growth at the company, which has outlets across Sussex.

Thorntons now trades from 408 shops and 120 franchises, having added a further 28 new stores to the chain in the half year.

It also has 20 Cafi Thorntons outlets, having opened seven new ones over the period.

Mr Paffard said Thorntons was planning to extend its mail order, Internet and digital television sales channels after seeing the routes help double its direct commercial sales revenues over the six months.

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