MEAT packing business Hilton Food said the performance of its UK business was among the factors behind its Western Europe division growing turnover in 2013.

It also cited a new production line in Denmark and new products in Holland as drivers of the growth although it pointed out Irish operations were still slow while Sweden was flat.

The Cambridgeshire company expects the impact of consumer weakness in Western Europe to be wholly offset over 2014 by the positive effect of a new agreement with Tesco.