Wilko which was able to operate its 414 stores during the assorted lockdowns, having qualified as an ‘essential retailer’, suffered a fall of £107.2 million in its sales for the year ended February 202 which came in at £1.36 billion. The retailer cited lower footfall in its shopping centre and high street stores for the drop, however, it had increased its digital sales by 89 per cent during the year. Wilko did not make use of the furlough scheme during the period.
“There’s no escaping the impact the pandemic has had on us all and that traditional British retail has been particularly badly affected,” said Jerome Saint-Marc, CEO, Wilko. “Our focus has remained on further developing great product and investing in our future and given all the challenges of such difficult trading circumstances the directors are satisfied with the 2021 results.”
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