Boots makes profits of over €16m in Ireland

HEALTH and beauty retailer Boots the Chemist made profits of over €16 million in Ireland last year.

The profits, for the year to end March 2005, compares favourably with the €12.07m it made in the 17 months to March 2004. No direct year-on-year comparison is available as the company’s changed its financial year end date.

Total sales in the 12 months to end March 2005 were €193m, from €171 million in the previous period, according to accounts just filed at the Companies Registration Office.

Boots opened its first Irish outlet in Dublin a decade ago and currently has 40 shops across the country. It plans to open a further five this year.

The accounts show that 757 people were employed at the company at the 2005 financial year end, up from 705 the previous year.

The company hopes to employ about 1,200 people in Ireland in the next few years.

Boots is due to update its investors on Christmas trading next week. The company’s core operations in Britain have suffered in recent years and the Irish shops have consistently grown at a faster pace.

It is currently in the process of merging with drug distributor and pharmacy group Alliance Unichem.