Full year pre-tax profit at troubled household products manufacturer McBride slumped by more than a third as profit margins were hammered by the weak euro, soaring raw material prices and transport costs. Discussions regarding a possible takeover bid are continuing, said chief executive Mike Handley, but "there is no certainty at this stage that any transaction will result". Full year pre-tax profit slumped 37% to £16.4m on sales from continuing operations down 1.5% to £471.3m, which the company described as "above market expectations". Operating margins slipped to 4.8% from 6.5%. McBride did well in France, Spain and central and eastern Europe, but laundry products came under pressure in the key UK market. However, the company scored a notable first by beating giants Unilever and P&G to market with its Brio Actipod soluble laundry sachets. Handley was upbeat about the prospects for the firm on the back of "increasing signs that [UK] grocery retailers are seeking to improve their sales of retailer brand products across a number of categories, including household and personal care". {{NEWS }}

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