Fullers Report Strong Festive Trading

Fuller, Smith & Turner has reported a strong Christmas and New Year trading period, achieving like-for-like sales of 8.2% for the five-week period, against a similar strong Christmas in 2024.

In a trading update for the 41 weeks to 10 January 2026, Fullers also reported like-for-like sales for the year to date up 5.3%.

Simon Emeny, executive chairman of Fuller, Smith & Turner, said:
“I am delighted we have maintained our strong growth momentum – in both sales and profitability – and this has been further enhanced with an excellent Christmas trading period.

“In addition to this outstanding operational performance, we continue to effectively deliver on our capital allocation framework with the ongoing share buyback programme and through our extensive programme of capital investment, with a number of exciting investment schemes scheduled for the final quarter of this financial year.

“Finally, I want to recognise that our success, as ever, is down to the amazing team of people that work for Fuller’s across our pubs, hotels and support centre. They have gone all out to deliver a fantastic Christmas for our customers – and I’d like to publicly thank them for their continued hard work and dedication.”

Julie Palmer, Managing Partner at Begbies Traynor, said:
“Increased festive bookings and booming drinks sales will have left Fuller’s and its shareholders feeling refreshed after a difficult end to the year for hospitality. Continued investment in its estate and control over its costs mean the group is in a strong position entering what is set to be an even more difficult first quarter than usual.

“Fuller’s has been able to weather the rising costs and adapt to customer trends, offering value, choice and the desired experience to entice the shrinking pool of patrons through their doors, which was crucial to success in the last few weeks of the year. The hospitality heavyweight will need to continue this strategy as supermarkets continue to steal market share and spending habits of customers centre around health and money saving.

“With the recent rumoured changes to business rates for pubs, Fuller’s and other pubs who have been vocal about the impact on the industry will be glad of a lifeline at this crucial point. However, for many pubs and the other hospitality businesses not included in the package, this will not be enough to meet the challenge of rising costs and shrinking demand.

“Many won’t have been able to deliver such strong sales in the make or break last weeks of the year and, for an industry on the ropes, this may mean more bars, restaurants, hotels and pubs closing for good in the coming months.”