LUSH says it had the best trading month in its history in December, with many customers keen to get back to the high street and do their shopping in person.

The Poole-based cosmetics maker announced UK and Ireland sales of £40.5million, exceeding forecasts and beating 2021 sales by 13.1 per cent.

The figure was up 11 per cent on pre-pandemic figures.

Physical retail sales were up 18 per cent on 2021, it said.

Kate Hannible, Lush UK and Ireland retail director, said: “We were confident in a return to a more traditional Christmas trading pattern this year, and increased our stock levels and seasonal recruitment to provide the best possible experience for our customers.

“I’m happy to say that our optimistic preparation paid off, and we’re delighted to report these results.

“I cannot over-emphasise the credit that is due to our shop and digital fulfilment staff, who have overcome the challenges of this year to deliver a fantastic Christmas.

“We are also grateful to our manufacturing teams in Dorset making fresh products around the clock as the sales kept coming.”

The boost comes one year on from Lush’s decision to walk away from its key social media platforms – the Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Lush made a “series of investments in retail and new brand collaborations” in the run-up to Christmas 2022.

It spent £7.4m on new shops, relocations and refits across the UK and Europe, and launched a new spa experience.

December also saw it open the Lush Lounge in London’s White City – an immersive space offering “mood-based” galleries, massage and free gifts, intended to give busy shoppers a break from the Christmas chaos.

The company sold more than 150,000 of its Snow Fairy gift sets in the UK and Ireland and hundreds of thousands of products from its Christmas range.

Staff at its factories in Poole pressed more than 879,330 Snow Fairy bath bombs, poured 153,700 Snow Fairy Lush Melts and sliced more than 326,640 Snow Fairy bubble bars, the company said. 

Lush’s most recent accounts, for the year ending June 2021, saw it returning to profit, with Covid-19 restrictions across the world hitting sales in physical stores but online sales rising 130 per cent.

Its annual report that year laid out plans for sustainable growth and said the business was “still very much committed to physical retail”.