RNS Number:7421H
Thorntons PLC
25 January 2005


                                                                 25 January 2005

                                 THORNTONS PLC
                            SALES TRADING STATEMENT
                       28 WEEKS ENDED  8TH JANUARY 2005

Thorntons PLC, the speciality retailer and manufacturer of high quality
chocolate, toffee and other sweet foods, today reports sales figures for the 28
weeks ended 8th January 2005.
     
*    Total company sales increased by 9.5% to #119.7m.

*    Own shop sales declined by 0.3% to #85.4m on an estate of 377, eleven fewer 
     shops than last year.
          
*    Own Shop like-for-like sales for the half year were up 0.8%. Sales in the 
     four weeks to Christmas, on a like for like basis, were down by 0.5%.

*    Franchise sales were up by 9.3% to #8.6m but there were 20 more outlets 
     than in the first half last year.  On a like-for-like basis sales were down 
     4.1%.

*    Commercial sales accounted for almost all of the increase in Group sales in 
     the first half.  Thorntons products sold to other retailers increased by 
     #9.8m to #13.4m, an increase of 270% on last year.  Private label 
     commercial sales rose by 2.7% to #9.1m.

*    Thorntons Direct sales declined by 2.1% to #3.2m.

Christopher Burnett, Chairman, commented:  "Christmas trade in our own shops
began slowly compared with last year, but picked up strongly in the final few
days. Significant growth in the sale of Thorntons products into other retailers
was anticipated by management and factored into our plans.

Based on our expected interim results, and barring any unforeseen circumstances,
we would anticipate the results for the full year to be in line with
management's expectations" .


Thorntons PLC will be announcing their Interim Results on Tuesday, 22nd February
2005.


For further information, please contact:

Christopher Burnett - Executive Chairman, Thorntons PLC          01773 542339
Peter Burdon - Chief Executive, Thorntons PLC
John Wall, Finance Director - Thorntons PLC
Charles Ryland / Nicola Cronk - Buchanan Communications          020 7466 5000


(1) Interim Sales Analysis

                                                   First Half Sales   First Half Sales    Full Year Sales
                                                       2004/05             2003/04            2003/04
                                                          #m                 #m                  #m

Own Shop                                                  85.4               85.8              136.8
Franchise                                                  8.6                7.8               12.9
Private label commercial                                   9.1                8.8               13.7
Thorntons branded commercial                              13.4                3.6               10.0
Thorntons Direct                                           3.2                3.3                5.3

Total                                                    119.7              109.3              178.7


(2) Comparison of 2004/05 sales with the previous year

                                                   28 weeks ending     28 weeks ending    Full Year
                                                      08-Jan-05           10-Jan-04        2003/04

Own Shop                                                 -0.3%               2.4%               2.2%
Franchise                                                 9.3%               1.3%               4.9%
Private label commercial                                  2.7%               6.0%               8.7%
Thorntons branded commercial                            270.0%             140.0%             222.6%
Thorntons Direct                                         -2.1%              -2.9%               0.0%

Total                                                     9.5%               4.4%               6.9%

Own Shops like-for-like                                   0.8%               2.5%               2.6%


(3) Changes in the Retail estate can be summarised as follows

Opening number                                             378                389                389

New shops                                                    3                  2                  3
Resites                                                      0                  0                  0
Closures                                                    -4                 -3                -14

Closing number                                             377                388                378


Franchise shops trading                                    221                201                203

Royalties from licensed products (#'000)                   260                248                412



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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