Celebrity following pays off for Superdrug

Superdrug has delivered a strong rise in full-year profits after sales were helped by a face powder championed by Kim Kardashian.

Pre-tax profits at the retailer rose 41 per cent to £80.4 million in the 53 weeks to 31 December 2016, with sales up 10.4 per cent to £1.2 billion.

Like-for-like sales rose 7.8 per cent and customers “continued to be influenced by celebrities”, the firm said, with the bestselling product last year a banana face powder fronted by Kardashian.

Superdrug, whose parent firm AS Watson is owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, said cosmetics sales rocketed 14 per cent, helping it achieve a market share of 30 per cent for the first time.

The group’s online offering, Superdrug.com, also performed strongly with sales increasing by over 60 per cent.

Chief executive Peter Macnab said: “We have had a strong year and are pleasedwiththecompany’s performance.”

Superdrug has 789 stores in UK and Ireland where it employs 13,500 people.