MAKING ITS ’MARK
Fashion chain Primark heaped pressure on struggling rival New Look yesterday by posting a surge in sales. Takings across Europe jumped 9% in the 16 weeks to early January, thanks partly to new store openings. It’s believed sales in UK stores open at least a year were up 4%. That was despite Primark’s outlets across Europe suffering an 8% slump in sales in October because of warm weather and it not selling clothes online. John Bason, finance chief of Primark owner Associated British Foods, refused to comment on the plight of New Look, which is considering store closures. But in an apparent dig, he said: “We had the stuff that people wanted to buy.” ABF’s share price fell sharply yesterday after a drop in sales in its sugar arm.