Whole Foods Market has reported a disappointing year as the American organic retailer battles against the rigours of recession and a trend away from organic foods.
The American chain aimed to take on established rivals such as Waitrose and Marks & Spencer when it set up in London three years ago.
But, according to accounts filed last week, it lost £4.3 million in the UK in the year to the end of September.
Sales were down almost 12 per cent to £43m, with same-store sales declining by 4.5 per cent compared with a year earlier. Revenues had also been impacted by the closure of a store in Bristol, which had been making heavy losses.
The losses were substantially lower than the £35.9m recorded in 2008, although that figure included a £27m write-down on some of the stores.
The business trades from an 80,000 sqft store on Kensington High Street as well as four other smaller stores in affluent London locations in Camden, Stoke Newington, Clapham Junction and Soho.
The company said it was pleased at the progress in reducing operational losses and said changes in "merchandising, product mix and pricing" would help to improve the financial performance in the accounts. The company said it was still "actively pursuing expansion opportunities in the greater London area".
