The parent company of Currys PC World saw online sales more than double, as it moved to an improved online service during the pandemic.

Online sales for Dixons Carphone hit £4.3 billion in the year to 1st May, including a 114 per cent increase in UK online sales of £3.4 billion, as reported by Retail Gazette.

The company, which has Currys PC World stores in Cheltenham and Gloucester, put the big rise down to offering an online live chat function with staff in stores, allowing customers to get real-time advice on their purchases.

But the company's phone retailer didn't do so well. Carphone Warehouse was hit hard by store closures and mobile phone sales fell 55 per cent to a loss of £117 million.

Total sales across the company were up two per cent to £10.3 billion with pre-tax profits hitting £33 million - up from a pre-tax loss of £140 million the previous year.

As a result of the performance, Dixons Carphone has repaid £73 million claimed under the furlough scheme and a £144 million VAT deferral bill.

Dixons Carphone is due to rebrand and change its name to Currys in September.

Image credit: Google 2016 Joel Palmer