Danone Fails To Match Recent Performance In First Quarter Of 2012 (Western Europe Food and Drink Insight)

Danone Fails To Match Recent Performance In First Quarter Of 2012 (Western Europe Food and Drink Insight): French food giant Danone has reported overall like-for-like sales growth of 6.9% in value terms and 2.2% in volume terms for the first quarter of 2012. The firm reported strong growth at its waters division, with volumes up 7.7% and value sales up 16.4%. However, the performance of its dairy unit was hampered by weakness in Europe, with volumes down by 0.1%. This was attributed to a determination in conditions in Southern Europe, which offset double digit growth in Latin America and across The Middle East and Africa. Continued economic weakness across Southern Europe, with consumers in Italy, Spain and