British store chain Debenhams has said total sales in the six months to March 3 increased by 5.8% compared with the same period last year.
But, in a trading statement, the company said underlying sales, which strip out the effect of new stores, were down 4.5% in its UK retail business.
Margins were also reduced because of the impact of integrating the Roches Stores it bought last year and lower clothes sales before Christmas.
The company said seven of the nine Roches Stores had been converted to the Debenhams format and the other two would be completed in the next few months. It said trading at the stores was in line with expectations.
