Paul Walsh Start Quotations

Since the start of the new financial year the key drivers of performance have remained unchanged, ... In premium drinks, top line growth ... has been maintained despite some weakening of economic conditions.

Last year the summer season started in late May when temperatures hit the mid-90s. So we've really got a late start to summer. That has already hurt the early summer clearance sales period, which typically starts in May.

We have made a good start to the year and we can maintain our full year guidance of 6 percent organic operating profit growth despite absorbing an increase in the cost of executing additional productivity initiatives in the second half,