Jollyes has reported record Christmas sales driven by higher demand at existing stores, new store openings and online.

Overall sales in the four weeks to December 31 hit a new high, up 31% compared to the same period a year earlier as December sales set new company records for the second year in a row.

The figures were lifted by new stores and acquisitions which meant Jollyes by the year end was trading from 84 stores over the period, against 67 previously.

Even after excluding new stores, like-for-like sales were 19% higher than the previous year and 39% higher than Christmas 2020.

Jollyes’ busiest day was Friday, December 23, when it served 38,000 customers in store, equivalent to one sale every 75 seconds – an all-time high for the business.

Jollyes also reported a 23% rise in online traffic in December.

Jollyes chief executive, Joe Wykes, said: “I want to give all our colleagues a massive thank you for their hard work serving customers this Christmas. We had a record-breaking Christmas because we have the best people in pet retailing.

“All our stores, whether they’re long established or newly opened, are well on the road to becoming go-to destinations for their local pet parents.”