Perfume sales helps Boots do well at Christmas Underlying sales at the health and beauty chain increased by more than 3pc during December, suggesting it was one of a number of chains to enjoy shoppers' last minute dash to the shops. The December sales figure is a marked improvement on the six months to the end of September, when sales at Boots, when the effect of VAT, fell into negative territory as it was hit by tough conditions on the high street and being forced to cut the price of glasses at its opticians business, to compete with supermarkets and even Poundland selling budget reading spectacles. The 3pc December figure includes the benefit of VAT, but it would still be in positive territory if it was stripped out. However, its parent company Alliance Boots - which is also a major European drug wholesaler - will tell staff this morning that it is on track to deliver another year of double digit trading profit growth. Stefano Pessina, executive chairman and major shareholder of the privately-owned company, writes a letter to staff after Christmas each year to inform them of the company's progress. Boots is not the only chain to enjoy an uplift in annual sales thanks to consumers' desire to treat themselves. Debenhams said its health and beauty sales had been particularly strong over Christmas, selling 2m bottles of perfume. The Perfume Shop said its sales had increased by 4.5pc. Alliance Boots is understood to have, as other pharmacies have, by the mild winter weather, which means that it sold less flu and cold remedies. But it is understood that its dispensing volumes have nonetheless managed to grow by about 1pc.