The Cotswold Company sales have climbed despite the home and furniture slowdown

The premium home and furniture retailer recorded a 15% sales boost to £40.1m for the six months to 25 August 2024, with sales up by 80% on a five-year basis, growing significantly ahead of a subdued home and furniture market. 

The retailer said strong demand for high-quality, long-lasting furniture as well as investments in marketing, such as geo-targeting campaigns, boosted footfall. 

The Cotswold Co recorded a 21% year-on-year increase in active customers, while multichannel customers grew by 49% during the period. 

Gross margin also increased, which the retailer said was due to long-term investments made in its brand and the optimisation of its supply chain. 

Chief executive Ralph Tucker said: “The Cotswold Company continues to go from strength to strength, with sales growth significantly outperforming broader market data over the past six months.

“We believe this is once again a great endorsement of our strong brand, which is synonymous with great quality and timeless aesthetics, as well as increasing consumer demand for high-quality but affordable products built to last.

“We have a clear strategy to become one of the UK’s leading premium homeware brands. Our investments in our multichannel proposition, geo-targeted digital marketing, and product and brand to ensure we have a best-in-class customer proposition have all delivered meaningful results.

“This gives us fantastic momentum as we head into the busy Christmas period, which will be enhanced by several exciting new product launches, the opening of new showrooms and a brand refresh supported by a nationwide TV advertising campaign launching in the autumn to introduce even more customers to the joys of our timeless and high-quality, made-to-last furniture and homeware.”

The retailer, which trades primarily online, will open its 10th retail showroom this month and has “several further openings” in the pipeline.