Sales at Amazon increase by 22pc
Record Christmas takings helped fourth quarter sales at online giant Amazon soar by 22 per cent.
The firm, which has a distribution centre in Rugeley, continued to win customers from both high street retailers and online rivals.
The business, which began trading as a bookstore and now stocks everything from cameras to nappies, increased worldwide sales by 22 per cent since the previous December.
Profits were boosted by a major investment in 20 new distribution centres last year, three of them in the UK, allowing the retailer to reduce transport costs. Revenue at the world's biggest internet retailer reached £13.5 billion from £11.06bn in the same period of 2011.
Amazon's mounting reserves are likely to fuel demands for reform of UK tax laws.
The retailer generates about 10 per cent of its worldwide revenues here, but paid just £2.3m in tax in the most recent three years for which figures are known.
