Dutch retailer Jumbo Group has booked an increase in first-half sales, boosted by additional store numbers.

In the six-month period, net sales climbed 40% to EUR1.71bn (US$2.13bn), the company reported this week.

The increase,the company said, was mainly due to the growth in the number of stores to 293. Jumbo added 25 stores to its network in the first half period.

Organic growth in the first half was 2.6% higher than the market growth of 1%, the company said.

Sales through its recently acquired C1000 chain were up by 5% to EUR2.24bn.