UK based retail giant, Dixon said that its like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland have risen by an impressive 8 per cent during the 12 weeks to 5 January while other retailers recorded lower growth.

The retailer benefitted from lower competition in the market during the crucial holiday shopping season. The higher sales were mainly due to high sales of tablet computers and an increase of 25 per cent increase in sales of large kitchen appliances.

The electronic retailer, which is the owner of PC World and Curry's, said that it was able to sell five tablets per second during the week before Christmas. The better than expected results for the period were also partly due to the exit of Comet stores in the country.

Dixons chief executive Sebastian James said that the closure of Comet stores helped the company record higher sales but he credited the work of staff in stores and on websites for the growth. He described the closure of Comet, HMV, Jessops and now Blockbuster as heart breaking.

Dixons has employed many of the Comet employees on a temporary basis and will permanently employ 500 of the 1,000 staff members.