Easter egg sales fill tills for Thorntons

A later Easter has proved a till-clattering feast for Thorntons.

The chocolate maker said sales since the turn of the year have soared more than 11%. That compares with a 1.6% slump in the weeks running up the Christmas.

The recent sales boom indicates Brits are continuing to indulge themselves through the recession.

Thorntons admits the slump in the last months of 2008 will drag its profits in the financial year to June down to about £5 million against £8.5 million last time, though that is some way ahead of what most City analysts had pencilled in. The shares leapt 11p to 90p.

Thorntons said this year's later scheduling of Easter has helped, giving it three weeks extra selling time in the chocolatefest running up the long springtime holiday weekend.

Whiles revenues in its own stores were up 4% in the last 14 weeks, sales to other shops such as supermarkets rose 35%.

The only sour note was Thorntons Direct's corporate business, which makes chocolates that businesses can put their own brand on. Sales there fell nearly 7%.