Beauty product chain The Body Shop said that first quarter retail sales were up eight per cent, with UK sales continuing to buck a gloomy retail sector.

Group turnover was up 23 per cent in the first quarter, added the group, which evolved from a small Brighton shop founded in 1976.

Body Shop has 2,062 stores spanning Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia, based on founder Anita Roddick's vision of natural beauty products sourced from the developing world.

Body Shop pleased investors in April by offering a rare gleam of light in the gloomy British retail sector with a nine per cent increase in UK sales in the first eight weeks of the year.

"In the UK, the positive trend has continued, with first quarter comparable store sales up by seven per cent on the same period last year," the group said in a statement.

Sales through its "Body Shop At Home" division, which sells products through parties in peoples' homes, were up 12 per cent.

"In the Americas region, the comparable store sales trend of minus one per cent reflects flat sales in the US, together with a decline of three per cent in Canada," it said.

Sales declines in Korea and Italy were reduced, while in all other countries the group generated sales growth.

"For the full year, we continue to plan a 15-20 per cent growth in operating profit, with a somewhat slower growth in earnings due to an increase in the tax rate," it added.