LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - British online grocer Ocado posted gross sales growth of 21.3 percent in the sixweeks to Jan. 5, reflecting strong trading in the seven days upto Christmas.
The firm, whose range includes products supplied by upmarketgrocer Waitrose, said on Thursday it made gross salesof 111.1 million pounds ($181.67 million) in the six weeks toJan. 5, up from 91.6 million pounds in the same period lastyear.
Gross sales for the 16 weeks to 1 December 2013 were up 20.1percent to 271.0 million pounds, the company said, and averageorders per week rose 19.1 percent to 151,743, while averageorder size nudged up 0.8 percent to 111.6 pounds.
"While we are encouraged by this current trading, theretail environment remains both challenging and competitive,with consumer sentiment subdued, and we expect to continuegrowing broadly in line with, or slightly ahead of, the market,"the company said on Thursday.
Shares in Ocado have risen over five-fold in the last yearon the back of a 200 million pounds-plus, 25-year deal withMorrisons, Britain's No. 4 grocer, to provide its onlinegrocery operation, and on hopes it could do more deals overseas.
Ocado (OCDO)