Burberry :sales surge 30% in first half

British luxury clothing and accessories company Burberry on Wednesday said group sales jumped 30 percent during its first half, with strong growth across all of its markets, including in Europe and Asia. Total revenue grew to £830 million (948 million euros, $1.294 billion) in the six months to September 30 compared with £641 million during the equivalent period in 2010, Burberry said in a statement. "Our first half performance, with 30 percent revenue growth, clearly demonstrates the continuing global momentum of the Burberry brand," said group chief executive Angela Ahrendts. "Looking forward, our focus remains on investing to drive growth and executing our innovative strategies in product design, digital marketing and retail, while being fully prepared to respond appropriately should we see any significant change in luxury demand." Burberry, which is famous for its trademark red, camel and black check, has enjoyed robust growth in recent years on strong demand for its products in emerging markets such as China, India, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and Turkey.