Minus in first six months

The Grafton Group, which has operations in Britain and Ireland, recorded sales of approx. € 1.4 bn in the first six months of 2008, which amounts to a loss of 12.5 per cent over the same period last year. Like-for-like sales in Britain, where a figure of £ 700 mio (€ 878 mio) was recorded, were two per cent down. Total sales in Ireland came to € 520 mio, which indicates a drop of 16.5 per cent in like-for-like terms.