Dunelm "more confident than ever" after doubling sales with homewares demand

A UK home furnishings chain has revealed that its sales have more than doubled in the fourth quarter of the year.

Dunelm announced today that total sales in its fourth quarter were 101 per cent above that of the same period last year, adding that the figures were 43.9 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The company predicts that its profits for the full year will be approximately £158m, ahead of analyst forecasts, due to “strong” sales performance since reopening.

It said that the growth reflects the “increasing appeal” of its homewares offering, with rises in sales across bedding, curtains, bathroom textiles and cushions, as well as newer categories such as dining furniture and decorative accessories.

This comes as work continues on its two new distribution facilities in the East Midlands and Stoke.

Nick Wilkinson, Dunelm’s CEO, commented: “In what has been a challenging year for Dunelm, I would like to personally thank my colleagues for their extraordinary efforts and adaptability.

“Although our stores were closed for more than a third of the year, our strategy of investing in our digital capabilities allowed us to adapt to the changing environment and deliver strong growth.

“From what we have learned during the pandemic about our customers, colleagues, suppliers and our other stakeholders, we are more confident than ever about the opportunity to increase our market leadership and we will invest further in our proposition to support our growth ambitions.

“With many exciting developments in the pipeline to make us the first choice for home, and grow our customer base and frequency, there is a lot to look forward to.”