Distribution group Bunzl reported a rise in annual profit and increased its dividend as deliveries of Covid safety equipment offset a fall in business from the food and retail sectors.
The company on Monday said pre-tax profits for the year to December 31 rose 22.6% to £555.7m and the total dividend was lifted 5.5% to 54.1p a share.
“As a result of our extensive supply chains and our Asia sourcing and auditing operation, we were able to quickly source and deliver significant quantities of quality assured Covid-19 related products, such as gloves and masks,” said chief executive Frank van Zanten.
“Consequently, we were able to offset the negative impact that restrictions had on many of our customers’ businesses, particularly in the foodservice and retail sectors.”
