Shares in airport food company SSP down 9%

Sales at restaurants and stores in transit locations improved with the company reporting like-for-like sales growth of 12% during the half-year period

SSP operates the food and beverage brands Upper Crust and Ritazza. Photo credit should read: James Manning/PA Wire

Shares in the airport food and drink chain SSP fell by as much as 9% on Tuesday after the operator reported first-half core earnings that were below analysts' forecast.

SSP, which owns Upper Crust as well as coffee chain Ritazza, said that its core earnings for the first half of the year came in at £106m (€124m) which is up from last year's £91m but slightly lower than analysts' average estimate of £107m.