Boots makes savings

Boots Opticians' revenue increased by 2.8 per cent to £329m as a result of including a full year of sales from Dollond & Aitchison, according to its preliminary results announcement for the financial year ended March 31, 2011.

However, revenue from Boots' owned practices decreased by 2.4 per cent, a fall that the company attributed to a decline in the optical market and the competitive environment which it revealed impacted practices still trading as D&A.

It stated that trading profit increased as a result of cost synergies from the merger and the subsequent integration of D&A. Further cost savings were on track to be delivered in the coming year. At the year-end Boots had 656 practices, including 192 franchises. The re-branding programme is now largely complete with nearly 500 practices (including franchises) now trading as Boots Opticians, with the balance of those not yet re-branded being mainly franchised practices.