Sales Decline At JJB Sports

An increase in the sale of replica shirts associated with the Euro 2004 football tournament has failed to prevent a drop in sales at JJB Sports. In a trading statement ahead of its annual general meeting on Friday, it said sales in the 23 weeks to 4 July were 1.1 per cent lower than in 2003.

Despite the strong increase in replica shirts, other clothing fell by 15 per cent. JJB Sports blamed this decline on the weather being consistently warmer, from spring onwards, during 2003.