Booths is entering the year ahead with “confidence”, after the upmarket retailer reported rising sales against a backdrop of “increasing costs”.
For the year to 28 March 2026, sales rose by 0.6% to £324.8m, benefiting from the phasing of Easter. Basket spend also rose, with customers “continuing to feel they were receiving excellent value and service in our stores”, the business said.
Overall trading was in line with expectations and continues to increase on a like-for-like basis.
The results came during a year in which Booths introduced the first phase of a major overhaul of its sales, stock and systems infrastructure.
While the business said this brought some “initial disruption” in logistics, the new systems have since started to deliver benefits. Against this backdrop, Booths said it achieved results ahead of plans set at the start of the financial year.
However, the group’s loss before tax widened from £0.8m in 2025 to £3.9m, which was primarily driven by the additional employment costs implemented following the 2024 autumn budget.
Gross profit reduced by 3.13% to £34m for the year, reflecting continued wage pressures and the loss of gross profit contribution from Ripon. The store, which had traded at a loss, closed on 11 July 2025, and Booths agreed to transfer its lease for a receipt of £0.9m.
Pre-tax profit also declined by 75% to £1m, with EBITDA reducing by 9% to £9.1m.
“The rising cost of doing business has presented challenges for every retailer and this has also been a year of significant work behind the scenes at Booths,” said Booths chairman Edwin Booth. “Our colleagues have responded with tremendous skill and commitment, continuing to give customers the service and quality they expect from us. We are already seeing the benefits of the changes we have made.
“What makes Booths special is our people and their knowledge, alongside food and drink chosen with real care. We will keep investing in what makes Booths distinctive, and I look forward to the year ahead with confidence.”
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