Tablet sales ease Argos sales worries

The launch of Apple's iPad 3 tablet computer provided some welcome respite for embattled catalogue chain Argos as it reported better-than-expected sales today.

Argos parent Home Retail Group said better sales of consumer electronics, driven by the highly-anticipated release of the new iPad in March, helped ease like-for-like sales declines in the division to 0.2% in the three months to June 2.

But the wash-out weather proved a dampener for the group's DIY chain Homebase, with comparable sales slumping by 8.3% in the quarter.

Seasonal products, which account for around 40% of sales in the 341-strong business, plunged by around 15% after the wet start to the summer.