RNS Number:3225X
Thorntons PLC
17 January 2001


                               17 January 2001

                                THORNTONS PLC

                            SALES TRADING STATEMENT

                          28 WEEKS ENDED 6 JANUARY 2001



*    Total Company sales rose by 5.4% to #99.4 million in the 28 weeks.


*    Own shop sales, at #82.0 million, were up 4.1% on last year. Reflecting our
     expansion slow-down, only a net 2 shops were added.

*    Like-for-like performance was +0.4% in the 28 weeks ending 6 January 2001.


*    The 7-week Christmas period ending 24 December 2000 also produced
     a like-for-like increase of +0.6%.

*    Reflecting the increased focus on Franchise activities, sales rose
     by 41%.


*    Commercial sales rose by 1.2% to #10.8m and Mail Order/e-commerce
     were up by 19.8% to #1.2m.


Peter Burdon, Chief Executive, commented: "Whilst we showed some pleasing
sales recovery, particularly in Franchise partners, and there was negligible
stock overhang from Christmas, we need to continue the work and effort to
ensure we build on this to deliver bottom line improvements".

Thorntons plc will be announcing their Interim Results on Tuesday 6 March
2001.


For further information, please contact:
Peter Burdon - Chief Executive, Thorntons plc                   01773 540550
Martin Allen - Finance Director, Thorntons plc                  01773 540550

Charles Ryland / Catherine Miles - Buchanan Communications      0207 466 5000



1     Interim sales analysis


                                      First half      First half      Full year
                                           sales           sales          sales
                                         2000/01         1999/00        1999/00
                                              #m              #m             #m

      Own Shop sales                        82.0            78.8          128.9
      Franchise                              5.4             3.8            6.9
      Commercial                            10.8            10.7           15.8
      E-commerce/mail order                  1.2             1.0            1.9
                                     -----------     -----------    -----------
      TOTAL                                 99.4            94.3          153.5
                                     -----------     -----------    -----------


2     Comparison of 2000/01 interim sales with the previous year


                                 28 weeks ending 28 weeks ending      Full year
                                      6 Jan 2001      8 Jan 2000        1999/00

      Own Shop sales                        4.1%            9.7%          10.1%
      Franchise                            41.3%         (22.3%)         (7.5%)
      Commercial                            1.2%          (3.4%)         (5.0%)
      E-commerce/mail order                19.8%          148.6%         123.7%
                                     -----------     -----------    -----------
      TOTAL                                 5.4%            7.5%           8.6%
                                     -----------     -----------    -----------

      Own Shops like-for-like               0.4%          (1.7%)         (0.2%)



3     Changes in the retail estate can be summarised as follows

      Opening number                         410             390            390

      New shops                                8              25             31
      Resites                                  0               3              4
      Closures (including                    (6)            (10)           (15)
      resites)
                                         -------          ------         ------
      Closing number                         412             408            410
                                         -------          ------         ------


      Franchise shops trading                148             120            127
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